VOTE411 Voter Guide

My life in Whitman County, my interactions, my relationships, with farmers, academics, business owners, students, etc, I think give me a unique perspective to the county dynamic. My experience in commercial and government construction, large budgets, government contracts, unions, personal, I think is a great segue into county government. And my love for the area, my own family history here, and my commitment to leaving it better than I found it make me the right person for the job.

1. Prioritizing and supporting existing county businesses and recruiting and incentivizing new businesses and industry to Whitman County. 2. Maintaining property taxes, ideally lowering that burden on taxpayers. 3. County government transparency and accessibility, getting our meetings and debate and outcomes, more into the public sphere and in turn getting more public feedback.

I am always for keeping nature intact, Whitman county has a lot of development to go before we have to look at infringing upon that. But in general I am all for responsible development. Any development in the county should be cognisant of groundwater as a limited resource.

I don't think the role of commissioner should in any way be partisan. Elected leaders regardless of individual preferences still have a duty to represent all of their constituents. If there is a problem someone is having with county government, I want to make that my problem until it is resolved. I think as the leaders of Whitman County, commissioners should be speaking out on behalf of our communities, residents, businesses, and industries, to help them in any capacity.

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I have had many experiences that have prepared me for County Commissioner. Since Graduating WSU 28 years ago, I have been the owner of a horseshoeing business. I had 130 clients with over 300 horses, I saw every 6 to 8 weeks. The horse industry encompasses people from every walk of life. Many times, the only commonality is their love of horses. Horseshoeing allowed me to travel every part of Whitman County. I have held several volunteer positions. I was a 4-H Leader and Council member for 25 years. Since 1999, I have been a volunteer with Whitman County Fire District 12, where I have been an EMT and Captain. In 2013, I joined the Whitman County Planning Commission and was the Chair for 5 years, before I resigned to accept the appointment for County Commissioner. These rolls have taught me to accept information and quickly make sound decisions. As the current County Commissioner, I have been a part of many decisions that are keeping Whitman County fiscally sound.

My top three priorities for Whitman County are our budget, our roads, and supporting our agriculture. Whitman County has been fiscally responsible in the recent past, but Washington State has passed several bills the have decreased revenues to the counties, while increasing demands. My goal is to maintain services without cutting positions, preferably without additional taxes. Recently Public Works has focused on improving paved roads. During that time our gravel roads have suffered. Public Works has initiated policies that is improving this situation. I will continue their plan to improve all county roads. My third goal is to support Agriculture in Whitman County. Agriculture is still the largest economic driver in Whitman County. I will back policies that continue to help keep agriculture and agriculture businesses successful.

Growth in Whitman County is inevitable and important, but it must be done responsibly. One of our limiting factors in growth is water. We draw from the same aquifer as Moscow. I am working with the Palouse Basin Aquifer committee to preserve and restore the aquifer for future generations. Developments should be encouraged within out cities and towns to prevent sprawl. Agriculture and wildlife can be an excellent partnership and I will advocate for that partnership. We have a unique landscape in Whitman County that needs to be protected for the future.

I am a firm believer in our Declaration of Independence and our Constitution. I believe the everyone is created equally and is entitled to the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We have developed laws on this basis. No one person’s rights are greater than another’s.