Government, at all levels, exists largely for the sake of enhancing the quality of residents’ lives by providing them with services. There are many things that go into creating that quality of life. They include parks, libraries, transportation systems, infrastructure and public safety. A fully funded and functional criminal justice system has a huge impact on property values. People and…
Continue readingThe Washington County Board of Commissioners has voted to put forth a measure in this November general election to move decisions regarding their salaries to a compensation committee. I think that, if done right, this could result in county government becoming more responsive to citizens’ needs. But if it isn’t done properly, it could have the opposite effect. My professional…
Continue readingOne of my favorite parts of running for Washington County Commissioner is hearing all the different opinions that residents have about the issues we all face. I’ve found that when it comes to Metro, people have very strong opinions. Some people applaud that regional government agency’s goals. Others feel it is just another unnecessary layer of government that does little…
Continue readingIt was recently announced that Multnomah County will be taken off of the state’s COVID-19 watch list. Multnomah County had been on it since July 30, meaning that its businesses and residents faced additional restrictions for about a month. While it’s good for Multnomah County that it’s being taken off of the watch list, the fact that it was ever…
Continue readingThroughout my public service career, one of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that leadership is a team sport. This is especially true in government, where the end goal is to serve all the citizens to the best extent possible, despite our differences. Unfortunately, common sense leadership has lost ground to ideologically-based leadership to our detriment. True leadership involves…
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