Housing Shortage: Like all of Oregon, Baker County is experiencing a housing crisis. The housing available to the community is not sufficient to meet workforce needs. The cost of housing is so high that residents have been forced to leave the county. This has left our workforce severely depleted. The lack of workforce makes it nearly impossible to bring new industry to the county. Many home owners have changed rentals into air bnb destinations, leaving very few options to local residents who rent. This has had a negative impact on our low and medium income families and has exasperated the hardship of many of our most vulnerable citizens.

As County Commissioner, I will advocate to bring affordable workforce housing to Baker County. I will team up with county & city planning departments, housing task force, and economic development to find solutions to this problem.

Support of Local Law Enforcement & Fire Department: I will continue to advocate for law enforcement and fire to ensure that our citizens are protected with the highest level of training and equipment possible. Living in a rural area like Baker County, I understand first hand the challenges we face regularly. These challenges are unique and require a high level of training. Budgeting for these needs should always be top priority.

Natural Resources: I will fight for forest access. Keeping our forests open is vital to fire management and fuel reduction. Without an open forest our outdoor recreation industry would be greatly compromised. In the past, our natural resources created most of our economy. I would like to bring sustainable land use back to Baker County.

Homelessness and Addiction: Homelessness and addiction are a growing crisis throughout Oregon. Poor policies passed by our state lawmakers have made it more difficult to address these issues. I will work with our mental health professionals, churches, and faith based organizations to find solutions to break the cycle of addiction that leads to homelessness. Focusing interventions on this dilemma is an immediate priority for the safety and health of our community.