Platform

During my time on the Lake Oswego City Council, I was known as a staunch budget hawk. With my fiscal leadership, we were able to fund our priorities without raising anyone’s taxes. We dramatically reduced our unfunded liability for road maintenance, rebuilt our operations and maintenance center, and rebuilt city hall and the police station – all without asking for an extra dime from our residents. This is the kind of leadership we need at the state level. Instead of simply adding programs and bureaucracy without regard to cost, we must ask ourselves, “If we want to fund something new, what can we live without?”

Oregon can do more with the revenue that we already have – without raising anyone’s taxes. How we manage our finances determines what we can afford: roads, schools, bridges – even PERS. As an experienced treasurer and analyst, I can offer reliable management of our state’s finances to help put our state back on strong financial footing. I have been Treasurer of the Legacy Emanuel Hospital Foundation, USA Olympic Swimming, and two subsidiaries of Northwest Natural Gas. I’ve also worked as an analyst and investor for more than thirty years. I have the experience to make educated and wise decisions – and when need be – the fortitude to make tough choices.

Our PERS system is unnecessarily complicated to administer. We can trim the administrative costs to make the program more affordable while keeping our obligations to state retirees.

We need to move audit functions of the treasurer’s office to the Oregon Investment Council – for both independence and objectivity, as well as cost savings from the current model of using outside consultants. We also need to regain the public’s trust by restoring the treasurer’s website to give citizens access to information that has been concealed since the current treasurer took office.

Did you know that more than 40% of my opponent’s campaign contributions last year came from out-of-state class action law firms that either do business with the Treasury or are trying to? This is a blatant conflict of interest, one that Oregon Public Broadcasting has called out recently. I have pledged to refuse any campaign contributions from companies that do business with the treasurer’s office, or their employees.

White Papers

Pub. TUE, 11 January 2022 13:00

TOLLING AND DIVERSION IS COMING

Diversion is coming, diversion is coming. Ready or not, like it or not, believe it or not, pave first – pay later tolling (in whatever format that may be) on I-205 and I-5 and diversion is coming to our city, county and region. Tolling has benefits, it also has costs.
Pub. Mon, 13 December 2021 13:00

The Power of Not Knowing

What’s happening in Stafford? it is a divided question. On the other hand is the belief that the cost of infrastructure is so high that significant, urban development will occur elsewhere, like what is happening now in South Hillsboro. The Stafford area will remain much as it is.
Pub. Mon, 13 December 2021 13:00

IMPROVING THE CITY AND SCHOOL DISTRICT PARTNERSHIP

The City and Lake Oswego School District (LOSD) leaders agreed by at least 2020, if not sooner, to evenly split the capital construction costs of an aquatic and recreation center that is now planned for a chunk of the property at the municipal golf course on Stafford Road
Pub. Mon, 13 December 2021 13:00

THE BRIDGES OF LAKE OSWEGO

A first-rate quality of life is not possible without a first-rate infrastructure and that includes the bridges that connect us to our neighbors and colleagues.
Did you know Lake Oswego owns nine bridges? It’s true, and that doesn’t even include Oregon’s Highway 43 Oswego Creek bridge.
Pub. Tue, 21 Oct 2014 22:31

This I Do Believe

“I will do my best to make it clear.  My convictions are not so much concerned with what I am against as what I am for; and that excludes a lot of things automatically.  Traditionally, democracy has been an affirmative doctrine rather than merely a negative one.” – David Lilienthal Four years ago I was elected
Pub. Tue, 01 Jul 2014 00:01

Public Safety Building – The Time is Now

The City Council can potentially fund the vitally needed Police/911/LOCOM (Lake Oswego Communications) facility within existing resources.  The following vision for building and financing the Police/911/LOCOM (Lake Oswego Communications) addresses 1) why the facility needs to be built and 2) how it can be paid for within existing resources. Why – The existing facility is: Seismically unsafe. 
Pub. Wed, 14 May 2014 15:30

Debt Limits

The time has come to limit the total amount of debt our city can have outstanding at any time.  By adopting an outstanding debt limit of 3% of total real market value of property in the city, the best of both worlds can be achieved – limits on total outstanding debt and flexibility to preserve
Pub. Fri, 11 Apr 2014 19:41

Building Our Operations/Maintenance Center

City Council can potentially fund the Operations/Maintenance Facility within existing resources.  Funding the Operations/Maintenance Facility is one the highest 2014 Council goals.  There is nuance and trade-offs, but there is a way forward. How to fund the project?  Value engineering, phasing and a variety of resources provide a path forward for this needed, core earthquake resistant
Pub. Wed, 15 Jan 2014 19:15

Financing Our Future – Part 3

The City Council can potentially fund the Police/911/LOCOM (Lake Oswego Communications) facility and operations/maintenance center within existing resources.  Let’s discuss the Police facility.  Our police department provides 911 dispatch services for our police, fire and public works departments as well as for several other cities and districts.  There is nuance and trade-offs, but there is
Pub. Tue, 17 Dec 2013 18:30

Financing Our Future – Part 2

The City Council can potentially fund the maintenance/operations center and LOCOM/Police/911 within existing resources. The operations/maintenance center and LOCOM/Police/911 are part of the overall picture. There is nuance and trade-offs, but there is a way forward. This month, let’s discuss the maintenance/operations center. The operations/maintenance facility needs replacement. The operations/maintenance building was
Pub. Mon, 25 Nov 2013 21:05

Financing our Future – Part 1

Financing our Future – Part 1 After several years of deliberation, voter actions in November 2012 (supporting Boones Ferry/Lake Grove redevelopment and not supporting the library bond measure), City Council decisions in October 2013 (moving forward potentially selling the West End Building) and direction to staff to develop means of financing the needed work for LOCOM/Police/911
Pub. Mon, 25 Nov 2013 21:02

Support the Renewal of the Local Option Levy

Support the Renewal of the Local Option Levy The Lake Oswego City Council unanimously supports renewing the school district’s local option levy. Why should the renewal of the local option levy be supported? Here’s why: 1)    Our Lake Oswego schools are one of our most highly valued assets and a cornerstone of our community. One
Pub. Mon, 25 Nov 2013 20:58

The Charge of the City Council

The Charge of the City Council With apologies to Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892) Half a mile, half a mile, Half a mile onward, All in the valley of Water Rode the City Council. “Forward , the City Council! Charge for the water!” they said: Into the valley of Water Rode the City Council. “Forward, the City Council!” Was there a person dismayed? Not tho’ the councilors knew Someone had
Pub. Mon, 08 Oct 2012 22:47

Wastewater Rates Can be Offset – A Modest Proposal

Wastewater Rates Can be Offset – A Modest Proposal Budgeted contingencies in the wastewater (sewer) fund greatly exceed policy requirements and can be returned to the ratepayer. There are several steps Council can take to return the wastewater contingency money to the ratepayer/taxpayer. Let’s begin with some background on where we have been, why the money

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