I’m running for re-election to the County Commission for three important reasons:
First, I'm running to stop data centers from being built here.
I’m running for re-election to protect Pend Oreille County from a future being shaped by outsiders who see our home as nothing more than a place to extract profit.
The companies pushing data centers are among the wealthiest in the history of the world. They don’t want to come here because they value the Pend Oreille River, our schools, our towns or our way of life. They want to come here for one reason: money.
Much of this development is driven by private equity firms, insurance reserves, and wealth managers. Their investors expect annual returns of 15 to 25%, and that expectation drives every decision they make. But those decisions won’t be made in our living rooms or around our kitchen tables. To them our County is a line item in a portfolio. To us it’s home.
One of the strongest reasons to oppose these projects is the simple imbalance of power. Our county staff are dedicated and capable public servants, but they’re being asked to evaluate proposals unlike anything this county has ever seen; projects that can be a million square feet. On the other side are developers backed by teams of lawyers, consultants, lobbyists, and public relations experts who have done this many times before. They have the money, the playbook, and the pressure tactics. This is not a fair fight and that’s not by accident.
If data centers are truly such a tremendous benefit to communities, why are so many of them pushed forward with no meaningful public input? Families shouldn’t have to first learn about large-scale construction when bulldozers arrive across the road one morning. Yet across America, communities have been kept in the dark as officials make secret deals behind closed doors. They only discover the consequences after it’s too late. The people of Pend Oreille County deserve better.
The data center industry talks about artificial intelligence, innovation, and progress. But they rarely talk about the costs communities are asked to carry: Pressure on electricity and water, pressure on land and wildlife and pressure on people. The investment behind these facilities is not about improving life in rural counties. It’s about maximizing screen time, selling advertising, and turning our resources into their revenue. That gap between what they promise and what they deliver should make everybody skeptical.
The choice before us is clear: We can hand our future to outside investors who will leave when the numbers stop working, or we can choose smart growth that protects our land, respects our communities, and creates good jobs that actually fit Pend Oreille County.
The bottom line is this: No to data centers that put corporate profit ahead of local people.
Yes to smart growth, good jobs, open government, and a future we decide for ourselves.
Pend Oreille County should be protected and respected. I ask for your vote.
Second, I'm running to keep Pend Oreille County as affordable as possible
Pend Oreille County should offer a high quality of life at an affordable cost. That means maintaining essential services while holding taxes down. Families, seniors, and working people should be able to remain in the communities they helped build, live near their jobs, and raise their children here. I will keep working to ensure county government spends carefully, focuses on the highest priorities, and remains accountable to taxpayers. We can provide essential services without placing more strain on household budgets that are already stretched.
Third, I’m running so you are represented by someone who remembers that the real power in Pend Oreille County is not in the commissioner’s room at the Courthouse. The real power is in your living rooms and around your kitchen tables.
County government should be practical, transparent, and responsive. That means listening carefully, working constructively with partners, and making decisions that serve the long-term interests of the people who live here.
I will support good ideas wherever they come from and work with anyone. For the past five years, I’ve met people in their homes to better understand how they see the world and experience life. Only by putting myself in their situation can I understand how public policy affects them. First and foremost, I am a public servant. That means meeting people on their terms, in settings where they feel comfortable speaking openly. For me, that's the most rewarding part of the job: working for you.
Overarching all my priorities is making county government more trustworthy. Because government can accomplish a lot when people trust their representatives.
I want to continue serving as your county commissioner and ask for your vote, your volunteer efforts, and your support. Let’s win together. God bless you.