Email: jeff.rumage@patch.com
Phone: 414.248.3117
Hometown: Beloit, WI
Birthday: March 24, 1985

Bio: Jeff Rumage has always had a passion for writing, learning about others and understanding the community around him.

Those three things drove Jeff to walk into The Daily Cardinal, one of UW-Madison's student newspapers, where he covered city, state and campus news stories.

After graduating from UW-Madison, Jeff took a job with a weekly newspaper in Oconomowoc, where he immersed himself in the community over the course of three years- writing about everything from farmers markets to murder trials.

When he learned about Patch's vision for community journalism, he felt compelled to be a part of it. He is new to Whitefish Bay, but even in his first couple weeks, has met some great people and looks forward to meeting more.

Now that we've been introduced, feel free to walk up to me at Bruegger's Bagels or Starbucks on Silver Spring Drive and say "hi", provide feedback on my articles or float a story idea past me. I look forward to hearing from you.

Your Beliefs
At Patch, we promise always to report the facts as objectively as possible and otherwise adhere to the principles of good journalism. However, we also acknowledge that true impartiality is impossible because human beings have beliefs. So in the spirit of simple honesty, our policy is to encourage our editors to reveal their beliefs to the extent they feel comfortable. This disclosure is not a license for you to inject your beliefs into stories or to dictate coverage according to them. In fact, the intent is the opposite: we hope that the knowledge that your beliefs are on the record will cause you to be ever mindful to write, report and edit in a fair, balanced way. And if you ever see evidence that we failed in this mission, please let us know.

Politics
Some might say that a UW-Madison graduate with degrees in Political Science and Communications is inherently liberal, but I have always thought partisanship takes the intellect out of politics. I genuinely believe there are multiple sides to most issues, and I became a journalist to give a voice to all sides of the discussion. I do, of course, vote in every election, but my choice is shaped more by each candidate's background, openness and capacity for logic than their ability to rile a crowd and make their opponent look bad.

Religion
Religion is a personal matter, and I believe everyone should have the right to exercise and express their beliefs in an open environment.

Local Hot-Button Issues
Several homeowners incurred substantial property damage due to flooding, and it will continue to be an issue in the future. I am still in the process of learning the details of sewer issues in the village, so I do not have a strong opinion on what needs to be done.

I do believe residents have a right to know where their tax dollars are spent. I pledge to provide accurate, comprehensive information about public affairs, and I will find answers to any issues brought to my attention.