WE HAVE PROMISES TO KEEP

My grandchildren and I enjoy all the amenities – cultural and environmental – Deschutes County offers. They are the fulfillment of promises of earlier generations to build a better quality of life in Central Oregon. But unless we squarely face the challenges growth presents, there is a danger our children and grandchildren will not be able to live here. To preserve the legacy we have received, I ask you to join me in renewing the promise to build a safer, healthier Deschutes County.

As your Deschutes County Commissioner, I promise to work to: read more

Thoughts and Issues

Posted on

The Time for Non-Partisan County Commissioners Is Now

I called for the non-partisan election of County Commissioners at the only major, pre-primary forum that included the Democratic candidates. Therefore, it’s gratifying to see Tammy Baney has now taken up the issue. My hope is her fellow commissioners will join us and put the matter before voters in November.

We are stronger when we are united by our common values and shared goals than when we are divided by partisanship. It’s time to make this happen.

While I agree with the Bulletin’s June 3 editorial that the County should initiate a robust discussion of our charter, with the possibility of placing a home rule initiative on the ballot in the future, there is no need to wait on the issue of non-partisan commissioner elections. The issue is — unlike a broad rewriting of our charter — simple to explain, easy to understand and, in my experience, widely supported. By moving first to minimize the role of partisanship in County politics before moving to the more complex issue of the charter, we can make the broader discussion less polarizing and more productive. read more

Posted on

Housing

Deschutes County is a strong, vibrant and beautiful place to live. But, in the face of rapid growth, we cannot maintain our quality of life by standing still or looking wistfully backwards. Growth brings great challenges AND opportunities and, to meet them, we must recognize that housing, transportation and jobs are not separate issues.