Data centers, ICE and budget issues shape race for Washington County chair

So you have been on the commission for eight years.

Yes.

What do you think Washington County is getting wrong right now that you would change as chair?

Well, I'd rather talk about what Washington County is getting right, but as far as what we're getting wrong, I think what we need to do is have a commission that's more relationship-based.

I currently have the support of 10 mayors in Washington County.

And to be able to resolve issues, we really have to be able to work across the board together.

And with those relationships, both with my current county commissioners that have endorsed me, future commissioner-elect Felisa Montablanco, who has endorsed me, and those 10 mayors, that's how we'll get work done.

So speaking of all that support, you have received support from several current county leaders, including the current chair.

If voters are unhappy, though, with the direction of Washington County government, why should they see you as the change candidate when many of the people supporting you are already part of the current leadership?

I think what we really need to hold on to is that Washington County is still doing a lot of things very, very well.

We're not in a situation where we need dramatic changes.

We have to address our key issues like data centers.

We have to address... immigration issues.

And we have to continue to address our housing needs, transportation needs, and economic growth, frankly.

But we need to make sure that we are prioritizing correctly, we're managing our budget correctly, and we have a focus on what the future needs are for the county.

Some say the county has a spending problem rather than an income problem.

What county service would you be willing to cut or reduce if that's what it takes to keep taxes and fees from going up?

Well, I can tell you, Blair, that we have over the past six years cut $98 million from our budget.

That's a huge amount of money.

We are right down to the bones in many cases.

In fact, if you asked me what I worry about, it's our dependency on our levies and the things that keep us functional.

In my estimation, there's always room for efficiencies.

There's always room to make changes.

But where we are now is that we have to be thinking about operationally what is left to cut, and there isn't much.

Most of our funding goes to state and federal mandated programs, things like the jail, things like our elections.

So you have been on the commission for eight years.

Yes.

What do you think Washington County is getting wrong right now that you would change as chair?

Well, I'd rather talk about what Washington County is getting right, but as far as what we're getting wrong, I think what we need to do is have a commission that's more relationship-based.

I currently have the support of 10 mayors in Washington County.

And to be able to resolve issues, we really have to be able to work across the board together.

And with those relationships, both with my current county commissioners that have endorsed me, future commissioner-elect Felisa Montablanco, who has endorsed me, and those 10 mayors, that's how we'll get work done.

So speaking of all that support, you have received support from several current county leaders, including the current chair.

If voters are unhappy, though, with the direction of Washington County government, why should they see you as the change candidate when many of the people supporting you are already part of the current leadership?

I think what we really need to hold on to is that Washington County is still doing a lot of things very, very well.

We're not in a situation where we need dramatic changes.

We have to address our key issues like data centers.

We have to address... immigration issues.

And we have to continue to address our housing needs, transportation needs, and economic growth, frankly.

But we need to make sure that we are prioritizing correctly, we're managing our budget correctly, and we have a focus on what the future needs are for the county.

Some say the county has a spending problem rather than an income problem.

What county service would you be willing to cut or reduce if that's what it takes to keep taxes and fees from going up?

Well, I can tell you, Blair, that we have over the past six years cut $98 million from our budget.

That's a huge amount of money.

We are right down to the bones in many cases.

In fact, if you asked me what I worry about, it's our dependency on our levies and the things that keep us functional.

In my estimation, there's always room for efficiencies.

There's always room to make changes.

But where we are now is that we have to be thinking about operationally what is left to cut, and there isn't much.

Most of our funding goes to state and federal mandated programs, things like the jail, things like our elections.