BCC Seat 5: shortest term, most candidates

Seven vie for two-year seat

Voters have a veritable smorgasbord of candidates for county commission seat 5, with seven candidates from across the county, from West Linn, Milwaukie, Oregon City, Happy Valley and even out to Estacada.

The seat, part of this year’s board expansion from three to five members, only carries a two-year term for the first person who holds it, allowing terms for different seats to be staggered in the future. The top two candidates in May will face off in a runoff election in November; here’s a look at the candidates.

Kami Kehoe, 32, is a resident of unincorporated Clackamas County in the Beavercreek area. She graduated from the University of Michigan, is a mother of two and the co-founder of Meeting & Event Services Co. She chairs the Holcomb-Outlook Community Planning Organization, the Oregon City Area Sustainability Political Action Committee and is co-leader of Stand for Children, Oregon City chapter.

Why are you running for commissioner?

As a community advocate, I bring a unique and refreshing perspective to the County Commission. I possess more than a voting record and have a proven track record of community leadership and accomplishing community-driven goals. I am focusing on fiscal transparency and accountability, education, goal 1 and citizens first, growth management and environmental protection.

The county’s communities often have radically different needs. How do you ensure residents from each of the different communities - from Estacada to Lake Oswego to Wilsonville - get fair and equal representation?

I am the only Position 5 candidate residing in unincorporated Clackamas County and the county is the sole local government jurisdiction. As a resident of unincorporated Clackamas County, I am less inclined to play favoritism to certain cities and can bring a balanced, unbiased opinion ultimately ensuring each of the different communities get fair and equal representation. It is also vital that governing bodies take part in the county Coordinating Committee Meetings and that CPOs, hamlets and villages remain active.

The loss of federal timber payments has left a $12 million hole in the county’s budget. How do you expand the tax base and create more family-wage jobs?

Diversifying the tax base and scrutinizing urban renewal districts and tax abatement districts is key to a healthy county budget. Ways to encourage economic growth are to provide incentives for businesses and encourage them to provide family-wage jobs. One way is to lobby for state changes to Enterprise Zones so they can be implemented business-to-business instead of constricted by location. We should consider requiring businesses to provide a certain number of family-wage jobs in urban renewal districts.

What options does the county have if the library levy fails in November?

Cities always have the option of passing their own levies if the district fails. There has been little communication with the citizens on the benefits of libraries to a community, a study of how libraries are currently being used to be most efficient with tax payer money and lack of open houses hosted by cities explaining how the money will be used and their part in the operation of the district.

What would you say is the biggest issue facing the county today?

Wastewater treatment capacity is the biggest issues facing Clackamas County right now. A Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) is not in place for wastewater treatment. A solution needs to be immediate as the County is losing money by not increasing their System Development Charges (SDC) for sewer infrastructure. This cannot be done without a Capital Improvement Plan in place. This means a loss of millions of dollars to sewer infrastructure from the build-out of Happy.

Anything you want to say?

Committed to environmental protection, I have been endorsed by OLCV – Oregon League of Conservation Voters and Doug Neeley, Oregon City Commissioner. Supporting Urban Renewal amendments. Tough on crime and protecting victims’ rights. Dedicated to promoting and protecting citizen involvement in land-use issues and preserving citizens’ right to vote on annexations.