On the Issues...
We can do better!
As your commissioner I will work to build a county where our children choose to stay—or choose to come back after college or military service—not because they have no other options, but because they see opportunity here. I want Cowlitz County to be a place where families can afford a home, where businesses can thrive, where workers can earn family-supporting wages, and where our communities continue to be safe, healthy, and welcoming. I know what it's like to grow up in an economically struggling community, believing that the only path to success was leaving. I don't want that to be the story our young people tell about Cowlitz County.
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As a working mom, I understand the pressures families face. I know what it's like to watch childcare costs consume a paycheck.
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I also know how fortunate my family is to own a home when so many hardworking people can't imagine ever buying one.
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Affordable housing and family-wage jobs are among the biggest challenges facing our county. These aren't abstract policy debates—they affect whether families stay here, whether businesses can find employees, and whether our kids believe they have a future in Cowlitz County.
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We can bring our tax dollars home and make them work for the people who paid them. That's not about bigger government. It's about smarter government.
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We can have thriving local businesses, family-wage jobs, affordable housing, strong public safety, well-maintained roads, parks our families enjoy, and responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars.
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We can attract investment, support local businesses, improve infrastructure, and make smart use of every opportunity available to us.
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We can solve problems. As elected officials we have the responsibility to invest wisely, plan for the future, and make sure our tax dollars deliver real results. Carrying out these vital actions will create opportunities for people to succeed and for our economy to grow.
Refusing outside funding does not keep money in taxpayers' pockets. We've already paid those taxes. If we don't compete for grants and other available investments, those dollars simply go to other communities while Cowlitz County gets left behind.
As commissioner, I'll work collaboratively with local leaders, businesses, educators, healthcare providers, law enforcement, and nonprofit organizations. I'll listen to experts. I'll study the data. I'll ask hard questions. Finally, I'll make decisions based on facts and what's best for our community—not on political ideology.