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Housing Programs That Work

Housing Programs That Work

Despite what people may think and what they read and hear in the press, we’ve actually had a huge reduction in homelessness in Clackamas County over the last year. And we have the data to prove it. According to the...

It’s official: There will be no tolling on I-5 or I-205 for at least the next couple of years.

Governor Kotek has directed the Oregon Department of Transportation to put a stop to those plans until 2026. At one point, it was considered inevitable. We were told it was a foregone conclusion. But those of us who were against...

It Takes All of Us – A Community-Centric Approach to Solving Homelessness

By Tootie Smith Chair, Clackamas County Commission We all agree communities face the monumental task of addressing homelessness, drug addiction, and mental health across Oregon.  While we did not create this crisis, as elected leaders it is our responsibility to...

Investing in Our Communities

As the chair of the Clackamas County Board of Commissioners, one of my most important jobs is to ensure that we spend public resources in ways that best benefit our residents. Not only does that include county property tax revenues,...

The Short End of the Stick

For over 40 years, Clackamas County has lacked the ability to control its own destiny. That’s how long the county and its residents have been subjected to the additional layer of government, bureaucracy, taxation and regulations that have accompanied our...

Is Oregon in Denial?

I love Oregon. My family has called this state home for multiple generations. In fact, I still live not too far from the farm where I grew up with my parents and two siblings. I’m a proud graduate of local...

Armchair Quarterbacks Should Stay on the Sidelines

When I ran for chair of the Clackamas County Board of Commissioners in 2020, I knew what the position entailed. I knew that once elected, I would face the task of getting a majority of my fellow commissioners to agree...

Putting the Cart Before the Horse

It’s no secret that I’ve been a vocal critic of Metro throughout the multiple decades of my life as an elected public official. Even prior to my stints as a member of the Oregon House of Representatives and Clackamas County...

Rights and Responsibilities

Many of the most important public policy debates these days are the result of fundamental disagreements on what, exactly, rights are. Some people are quickly to declare everything they want to be a “right,” meaning that the rest of society...

Too Little, Too Late

Housing is, and has been, one of the top issues for the citizens of Clackamas County for years now. The simple fact of the matter is that the amount of available housing has not kept up with the demand created...