Klickitat County Commissioner District 3

Because there is much work to be done in order to get our county government working for “all the people” and to get it fiscally responsible and sound in its use of taxpayer dollars. For too long, our government has taken care of the people with the right last name, and neglected or I would go so far as to say mistreated those without. I have been able to fix some of this, but unfortunately I will need a second vote in the next election to get that good old boy mentality totally behind us.

How does any previous experience help qualify you for this role?

As your commissioner these last four years, every vote I have made has been the vote I believe the people would want me to make. I have been outvoted a hundred times, but I have shown my courageousness in taking on the establishment in my fight for the people. An ex- commissioner once told me that he respected the fact that I always vote for the people. When I asked, “If that’s the case, why didn’t we agree more?” his response was “politics.” See, when you don’t vote for the special people, they bankroll an opponent to get them back their special favors.

What do you see as the county’s greatest need/priority going forward?

Sound decision-making based on true data and facts, and not based on politics or emotion. This county is at a financial knifes edge caused by multiple bad financial decisions based on emotions and or politics. This has cost the county millions of dollars a year. In the end, all of the services the county currently provides, or can grow to offer can’t be funded unless there is a responsibleness with the dollars we currently have. I don’t support raising taxes because of bad management or poor governance and I will continue to vote no on tax increases until that changes.

What are you doing differently than previous commissioners?

 The short answer is everything. I work for the people, not the special interests, corporations, or large campaign donors. I support what the people support and oppose what they oppose. With that, I oppose industrial solar development in the Goldendale Valley. I oppose urban sprawl along the White Salmon River. I oppose turning our farmland or forests into corporate developments, and I oppose using your tax dollars to subsidize rich campaign donor’s projects. I started the building of a county mental health program and I have saved the county millions of dollars a year by being transparent and fiscally responsible.