Indivisible Clackamas Candidate Q&A

Question 1

What are your top three issues and why? How would you address them?

1. Housing affordability and permitting reform. Working families are being priced out of Clackamas County. Part of the problem is structural: permitting timelines are too slow, coordination between county departments and cities is inconsistent, and large-scale corporate investors are buying up single-family homes that should be going to first-time buyers. As commissioner, I will prioritize streamlining the permitting process, strengthen partnerships to expand grant and assistance programs for first-time homebuyers, veterans, and first responders, and support policies that discourage institutional investors from bulk-purchasing residential homes.

2. Homelessness and behavioral health. The county has made real progress expanding behavioral health coordination and treatment-centered responses, and that progress must continue. But we also need a stronger upstream focus on prevention: supporting families under economic stress, improving coordination with schools, expanding job training access, and ensuring survivors of domestic abuse have safe rehousing options. Continued investment in mental health and addiction treatment, paired with stronger coordination between outreach teams and law enforcement, will let us address crises earlier rather than responding after the damage is done.

3. Small business and local economy. Clackamas County should be a place where locally owned businesses can start, grow, and hire with confidence. That means reducing unnecessary permitting barriers, improving communication with county departments, and making sure county policy supports long-term local investment rather than defaulting to out-of-state corporations. Twenty years in commercial construction taught me exactly what slows projects down and what helps them move — I will bring that practical knowledge to county government.

Question 2

What are some of your accomplishments in previous office or related work?

I have not previously held elected office, which I consider an asset: I am not a career politician and I have no political debts to repay. My relevant experience comes from 20 years in commercial construction, where I coordinated crews, managed complex timelines, oversaw significant budgets, and was held accountable for real-world outcomes. That work demands exactly the skills county government requires — practical problem-solving, financial discipline, and the ability to coordinate across teams toward a shared goal.

Having recently experienced the effects of construction slowdowns firsthand, I also have a direct understanding of the pressures facing working families and small businesses in this county. I bring to this race a track record of getting things done in the real world, not just in meetings.

Question 3

Where do you see yourself on the liberal to conservative spectrum? Give a couple of examples.

I approach issues practically rather than ideologically, but I am clear about my values: I believe in bodily autonomy, equal rights for all residents regardless of who they are, and government that stays out of people’s personal lives. Those are not ambiguous positions for me.

On social issues, I am firmly on the progressive side. I support access to reproductive healthcare and believe those decisions belong to individuals and their providers, not government. I fully support LGBTQ+ equality and the right of transgender individuals to live openly, safely, and with dignity. I believe public policy must be made within a secular framework.

On fiscal issues, I believe strongly in accountability and transparency. Every dollar of public money should be traceable and tied to measurable outcomes — not because I want to cut services, but because I want programs to actually work. A well-funded, well-run county government is a progressive goal, not a conservative one.

Question 5

As an elected official, how would you reach out to and engage the diverse communities in our county?

Clackamas County is not one community — it is many, with different needs, histories, and priorities. Effective representation means going to people where they are, not expecting them to come to you.

As commissioner, I am committed to:

• Holding regular town halls across the district, including in communities that are often left out of county conversations
• Maintaining open office hours where any constituent can raise concerns and be heard directly
• Working closely with cities, community organizations, and local leaders who have established trust in their communities
• Providing plain-language updates on county decisions and budgets that are accessible to all residents
• Ensuring county services and communications are actually reaching the people who need them most

Strong regional collaboration also matters here. Many challenges — housing, homelessness, behavioral health — cross city and county lines. I will work with neighboring jurisdictions and state partners while protecting Clackamas County’s ability to make decisions that reflect our specific communities.

Question 6

Is there anything else you would like to tell us?

I am running because I believe county government can and should work better for the people who live here — working families, small business owners, seniors, renters, first-time buyers, and everyone trying to build a stable life in Clackamas County.

I am not a politician. I am a tradesperson and a neighbor who has watched county processes frustrate the people they are supposed to serve. I know what it looks like when bureaucracy gets in the way of real outcomes, and I know how to fix it.

What I offer is a practical, accountable, values-grounded approach to public service: transparent decisions, measurable outcomes, and a commissioner who will answer to the people of this county — not to party leadership, not to donors, and not to out-of-county interests.

I would be honored to have the support of Indivisible Clackamas and the opportunity to earn the votes of your members.