And in the end...

And in the end it wasn't very close. If you go to the final election results online here's what you'll find under Jackson County Commissioner Position #1:

Jeff Golden (DEM) (IND) . . . . . 32,980 43.62%

Don Skundrick (REP) . . . . . . . 42,509 56.22%

There's plenty we could say about this. I'll keep it to this: this wasn't our time.

Looking forward from here, there's a lot more to say. I had a chance to say some of it in a guest opinion column in yesterday's Mail Tribune. Because we're not done.

To all of you who had a hand in this campaign, my deep and warm thanks. Alongside the clear fact that this wasn't our time is the clear reality that times constantly change. So. Onward.

32 hours to the finish line

I write this at noon on Monday, 24 plus 8 = 32 hours before this election ends.

Every day I'm asked if we'll win. I want you to know we've already won. We laid out a solid, practical alternative to the 1990s economic habits that are taking us over the cliff, and plenty of people from different parts of the political spectrum heard us, and thought seriously about what lies ahead. That matters.

Beyond that, will we end up with more votes than the other guy, and have the chance to ground our vision in county government policy? That we'll know in 32 hours. Either way there will be plenty for us to do to build a more self-reliant, sustainable and caring community together.

I'm more grateful than I can say for what so many of you have given to this campaign. I wanted it to be ours, not mine. It has been.

And, we're not quite done. Be sure to return your ballot before 8pm tomorrow (not in the mail, because it's too late, but in election drop boxes-- behind the Ashland library or on West Main just east of Columbus Ave in Medford) and call procrastinators or tuned-out people you may know to nudge them to do the same. If the outcome's decided by less than 100 votes--and that's happened before--I want us celebrating instead of what-iffing.

Thank you. Onward.

We Can Win This Race

Join us in the CALL-5 CHALLENGE

It’s easy. Follow these four steps:

1) Go to your personal/professional address book and select the names and phone numbers of at least five Jackson County residents (but I'll bet you have way more than that). Look for people who might not already be supporting this campaign, or who might not be tuned into the election generally (or friends who might simply be so busy they let their ballots fall to the bottom of their inbox until its too late). It’s also good if they live somewhere other than Ashland.

2) Call each one on the phone (this is much more effective than email). Make one or two efforts to talk to them personally before settling for their voicemail. Tell them you’re taking the time to call because you believe it’s vitally important to elect Jeff to the Board of Commissioners, and give one strong reason that is true for you (you can visit goldenforjacksoncounty.org if you want a reminder). Ask them to vote for Jeff. Some will do so just because you ask them. If someone wants more information, refer them to the 2-minute welcome video at www.goldenforjacksoncounty.org .

3) If you reach someone who’s already enthusiastic about the campaign, ask them to go to their address book to call 3-5 Jackson County friends who might need a nudge. We want to see this spread.

4) Complete the process by replying to kim@goldenforjacksoncounty.org, and let us know you’ve called at least five people (it would be additionally helpful if you send me their first name and the city in which they live so we can ensure we're covering the county, and so I can show Jeff the level of our outreach). If you’re ready to join us in this massive final effort, please get this done today or tomorrow. With vote-by-mail, more people vote with every passing day, and it’s important to reach them as soon as possible.

Good News for Governing Ourselves...

What if...

What if you took the two most controversial (and perhaps complex) measures on our upcoming Oregon ballot -- this year that would be Measure 73 (mandatory minimum sentences for new categories of repeat offenders) and Measure 74 (legalizing dispensaries to provide medical marijuana). And let's say you gathered a group of Oregon citizens at random, people starting off with no financial, political or big ideological stake in these issues. Then say you had the time and resources to give them plenty of good, responsible information, let them hear from advocates on both sides, let them ask all the questions they want. Then you gave them time to discuss and deliberate and give their judgment on the issues. And THEN their opinions went into the Voters Pamphlet (right alongside with the statements of the rah-rah supporters and opponents of the measures) for you to read before you voted.

Think that would improve our system? Well, for the first time, all of that has happened, and you in fact have a chance to read the opinions of unbiased, very well-informed citizens, all thanks to Healthy Democracy Oregon. Check it out and see if it gives you some optimism about citizenship and political process in our state. It did for me.

My opponent takes me aside

After a meeting we both attended last week, my opponent asked if I had a minute and led me to the corner of a hallway. He looked at me with a lot of intensity and said "I just want you to know that I'm going to be running this campaign on the issues. Not on personalities, not on rumors or any of that stuff, just on the issues."

Same goes for me, I told him. We agreed that we have an opportunity to give citizens a quality election campaign without the usual ugliness and distractions. We shook hands and as he turned away he said, "and I want you to know that I'm telling my team that, too."

I don't know who's on his team, but if you're supporting our campaign, I count you on my team. So I'm saying to you what he claims to be saying to his team: let's keep this on issues and steer clear of any last-minute garbage. He is stepping up and asking to do important public service, and from what I can tell (I only met him a few months ago) he's a thoroughly decent guy. The difference between us, and it's big, is our beliefs on what Jackson County needs to thrive. You've heard mine, or can read them on the website. And his? Well, here's his website. See what you think.

I hope you're with us this election. Part of being with us is resisting any urge to scorch him, no matter what flaming Letters to the Editor come our way. I'm asking everyone involved with this campaign to keep your eye on the ball: a viable, quality future for us and the next generation.

Releasing the Local Jobs Agenda

Some say there are three big issues this election year, in national state and local elections alike: 1) Jobs 2) Jobs and 3) Jobs.

That's not hard to understand. You don't have to look farther than page after page of foreclosure notices in the local paper to know that many working people are in the hardest crunch of their lives. We can design all the nifty government programs we want, but the hard reality won't change without developing stable, quality jobs.

How can county government help that happen? A couple of months ago we started a research project to find out. The result is our Local Jobs Agenda, which we think is unlike any report ever offered before in a Jackson County Commissioner race. It's not THE ANSWER...we don't think that exists. But it puts forward sound actionable ideas, and can stimulate more from others who are serious about putting Rogue Valley people back to work. That's the whole idea.

Take a look and tell us what you think.

A Second Nomination

It's been coming for a while, but this week it's official: the Independent Party of Oregon has given us its nomination. This is the first time anyone's had both a major party nomination and the Independent nomination for Jackson County Commissioner. Oh, there's this small detail: carrying multiple nominations has only been possible in Oregon for the last couple of years, since "fusion" nominations have been authorized by Oregon law.

We're proud of this. The people who created this party are laser-focused on reducing special-interest ownership of our politics, and are working against steep odds to make that happen. I thank them for their bold work, and for this nomination.

They're stepping up purely for the good of it

Just came back from a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) outing up in the Oak Knoll subdivision on Ashland's southeast edge, 18 hours after fire destroyed eleven homes. We canvassed the neighborhood, making sure everyone was ok and looking for smoldering patches that the wind could possibly whip back up into flames.

Turned out to be a pretty uneventful canvass. And hot (104). But seeing a squad of volunteers show up to minimize chances of a second-round catastrophe, people moved purely by an urge to help and comfort -- that feels so good. Our Strength is Our Community.

Grounding a Slogan in the Real World

Our Strength is Our Community. It's our campaign slogan, and today I walked into a great nuts-and-bolts example, a meeting of the Jackson County Task Force on Homelessness. There I found about 30 dedicated people from a couple of dozen organizations, some of whom have been meeting monthly for 20 years to deal with this problem.

Think about it. Homelessness, spreading by the week at exactly the same time governments are cutting back on services, has to be near the top of the list of problems where people might throw up their hands and say "Man, it's really terrible, but there's no way we can solve it." This group of professionals and volunteer leaders somehow missed the memo that there's little or nothing that can be done. They're aiming not just to ease the worst pains of homelessness, but to eliminate it in ten years. And not by whistling a happy tune and thinking happy thoughts; check out their Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness and see if it doesn't raise the bar for you on what's possible in these rough times.

Making this plan work will take a mountain of effort, of collaboration, of tenacity and letting go of turf concerns. It will also take laser-focused leadership from County Commissioners. Not easy. But this report leaves you convinced it can actually be done.

And that Our Strength is Our Community.

Who's making a difference?

I'm completely excited that Community Building Blocks is up and running, thanks to volunteer coordinator Cynthia Salbato. It describes some of the amazingly creative work people are doing every day to make this Valley stronger, healthier, more resilient, and just more enjoyable as a place to live and work. Check it out, and then if you know if any project around here that deserves more attention, help us get the word out with an email to salbatoc@gmail.com.
We're hoping this chronicle of great & generous project will outlive this election, and stir even more folks to make a difference. Thanks, Cynthia...

Fair Politics

I spent three days at the Jackson County Fair, yesterday included, talking to folks who came by the Democratic Party booth. There was a variety: some interested in hearing about candidates and campaigns, some not real friendly ("Thanks for RUINING THE COUNTRY!" one 30-something guy shouted as he passed without slowing down), most not wanting to make eye contact at all, everybody HOT and on the verge of irritable.

One interesting visit yesterday: two women with their elderly mother in a wheel chair. They were extremely agitated with a story I couldn't quite follow that had partly to do with a Medicare snarl that was keeping the mother from getting chiropractic care and partly to do with the daughters' inability to find work. We recommended that they talk to Rep Walden's office about the Medicare problem. They said they'd tried but had received no satisfaction and, knowing that he's a Republican, had stopped at the Republican Party booth just before visiting us. There, they said, they were told that since the White House and Congress are in Democratic hands, all problems with federal programs like Medicare, and all unemployment, was the work of Democrats. If you walk down this aisle a ways, the Republicans helpfully told them, you can find the Democratic booth and demand that we fix things.

They were unhappy when we didn't. Very loudly unhappy. And they couldn't have been less interested in the issues the we can do something about.

Times are hard. People are frustrated.

What a great project...

There are some projects underway in our Valley that are so good they make you blink--and then wonder why more people don't know about them. One is Rogue Valley Farm to School. All this small non-profit is doing is reconnecting children to the source of their food (earlier in the process, that is, than the supermarket shelf or the fastfood drive-thru window), spark in them the natural fascination with growing food that all of us felt as youngsters if we were lucky enough to plant and nurture a few seeds, instill an interest in self-sufficiency and the work that makes it possible, establish healthier eating habits, provide schools with healthier food (some of it grown by proud students!) and generally re-establish a long-lost link between the younger generation and our food.

That's all.

Think they deserve your support? Me too. Here they are again.

Smart move

The County Commissioners made a fine decision this week. I'd like the opportunity to make more decisions like it.

They approved $50,000 in seed money for Sustainable Valley, a well-crafted proposal from a group of progressive business people to grow a cluster of environmentally & economically viable new enterprises. The founders themselves will tell you there's still a lot to figure out, but as I look around for practical strategies for generating high-quality, stable, environmentally healthy jobs in this ferociously tough economy, it doesn't get better than this. And the model of careful, modest infusion of public dollars to leverage huge accomplishments in the private and volunteer sectors is just what we've been talking about since this campaign began.

No, there's no exact blueprint. There never is with game-changing ideas. So out come the skeptics, smelling another pointy-headed fuzzy government boondoggle. I think that's way off track, and here's why.

We need more of this.

"Whiskey's for drinking, water's for fighting"

Can't remember who first said that, but he or she had plenty of history to prove the point. The wet spring that just ended might pull our attention away from the water challenge we're facing. Since increasing the Valley's food security is a core principle of our campaign, it looms even larger for us.

Here's a summary of my view on Jackson County's water future. If you've been working on or thinking about this issue, I'd really like to hear your views. What's completely clear to me is that we can't afford to punt on this issue until we hit the wall two, three or ten years from now. The stakes are too high. Your thoughts?

They're keeping their eye on the ball

Cheers to the Jackson County Local Action Coalition (JCLAC), a growing local group that's keeping their eye on the ball. Check this out--it's their draft mission statement. The core:

If our Coalition is to succeed, we must be transpartisan – beyond partisanship. We refuse to fall into the trap of being divided and powerless.Frankly, we don't have time for anything else. The urgency of the moment makes the divisiveness of partisanship foolish. It's not that political issues, and the moral principles upon which they are based are unimportant. It's simply that there is much about which we can agree. There is a deep reservoir of unity on the priority issues that affect the welfare of our families and our neighbors. It is upon that foundation that we will build a healthy and prosperous Jackson County [emphasis mine], even in the difficult times that likely lie ahead.

Yes. I'm running for JC Commissioner because we actually have a chance to pool our strengths and build a community that can weather what's coming. But NOT if we let ourselves get distracted by hot-button issues that have kept us divided and distracted as economic conditions get more and more desperate. If we can set aside some things we're flat NOT going to agree on --same-sex rights, religion in schools, evolution, in some cases the proper role for governmtent-- there's a realistic path to better days . The alternative is to fight the old feuds over and over again and sink into misery while a very small economic slice flourishes at our expense. Thanks but no thanks. More on JCLAC is at their website

One of Politics' Biggest Turnoffs

This just in: people are turned off by politics! Or so my highly scientific findings on the campaign trail seem to indicate.

Yes, there are lots of reasons. But one big, especially aggravating reason -- one that's easier to understand than most -- is the way political leaders carve out special privileges for themselves. Now there's a grassroots movement starting to spread, across normal political lines, for a constitutional amendment that looks like it could be a potent remedy. Read it yourself and let me know what you think.

It's not "the future." It's NOW

I'm sitting right now (Sat, June 19 afternoon) on the floor of the Medford Armory ( East side of Hwy 99 just south of Medford). I'm staffing a booth for something called the Green Jobs Council (more later on that) at the Oregon Green Expo.

Here's my tip: if you're in or near Medford, get down here before 6pm today or from 10-4 tomorrow Sunday. The concentration of smart, practical, sustainable projects, and people stubbornly working to make them happen, is just stunning. A big glimpse of the healthy future we can have is right here. Hope you'll come by today or tomorrow.

Mistakes we don't have to keep making

The ongoing oil volcano erupting torrents of oil into the Gulf right now (and more oil this second...and more now...and more now) rarely leaves my mind during this campaign. It's not just a stunning symbol of where past decisions have brought us. It's a grim guide for the decisions we're making today.

Right now in Jackson County we're in the midst of deciding how and where to accommodate growth for next fifty years, as our population grows from about 200,000 to an estimated 400,000. Maybe it would be a good idea if we had live video from the Gulf of Mexico nearby as we make these decisions. This accident happened at the deepest underwater well there is, as we push further and further, to the limits of our competence and past, for enough oil to fuel the daily movement of hundreds of millions of cars.

I've heard plenty of people in the Valley agree that our one-person-per-car doesn't make a lot of sense. "Too bad," many have said, "that we're too spread out here to make public transportation work efficiently." Well, the decisions we're making now will likely determine whether we're still saying that in 10, 15, 25 years, or whether we'll configure ourselves, like almost all of the advanced world, where there are practical, convenient alternatives to your private car.

Of course, if we do that, we might not get to see a lot more pictures like the one above. I think I could handle that.

Go, Farm to Fork!

About sixty people who want to see more local (and healthier) food in Jackson County got together at Peter Salant's beef ranch on the Little Applegate last Saturday for an event that was more fun and inspiring than a blog can describe. It was part of a movement called Farm to Fork, and it included some great networking among folks who are building the local ag movement, a short tour of Peter's ranch (he's proud of it and should be), and a five-course dinner of local food that, was, as my mother likes to say, to die for. Between each course we heard from another person who is creating a particular component of what's becoming a robust small farm economy in the Valley where more and more people could make a living, where more of us are getting healthier, fresher food, and where we're contributing less to things like the horrific underwater geyser in the Gulf, because our food travels far fewer miles to get to our plate.

This isn't "wouldn't it be nice..." These folks are doing it, and you can help in an amazingly enjoyable way.Saturday was just the first Farm to Fork dinner. There will be at least five more this summer and fall at different farms throughout the Valley (see the schedule below). Get more of the flavor, pun sort-of intended, at the Farm to Fork website.

This is so creative, so energized, so timely. Come be part of it!


UPCOMING FARM TO FORK EVENTS:
14 seats available - June 26th at Dunbar Farms in Medford, OR (Rogue Valley Brambles Poultry, RoxyAnn and Rocky Knoll Wine)
20 seats available - July 31st at Restoration Farm in Ashland, OR (Magnolia Farm Lamb and Quady North Wine)
22 seats available - August 28th at Happy Dirt Veggie Patch in Ashland, OR (Port Orford Sustainable Seafood and Cowhorn Wine)
30+ seats available - September 11th at Blackberry Lane in Grants Pass, OR (Willow Witt Pork and Caprice Wine)
30+ seats available - October 9th at Rogue Valley Brambles in Talent, OR (Rogue Valley Brambles Poultry and Trium Wine)

One down, one to go...

And it's the easy one that's down. We took about 99% of the vote in Tuesday's election, which might have something to do with the fact that I was unopposed for the Democratic nomination for Position #1. Republicans nominated Don Skundrick (defeating the incumbent Jack Walker) to run against me in November. He'll be a good, tough opponent. In the other Commissioner position, Democrat Mark Wisnovsky will be taking on Republican John Rachor.

These will not be boring races. And I think there's a chance to make them much better than what we're used to... which is why I submitted this letter today to the local newspapers:

CAMPAIGNS THAT ARE PART OF THE SOLUTION

To the editor:

I can’t exactly call my primary election victory “hard-fought;” in my slot, there was no other name on the ballot. Now I’m one of four candidates for two County Commissioner seats in November. I admire how the other three walked the campaign trail. They answered voters’ questions thoughtfully and respectfully, running just the kinds of races we want, but don’t get, in national politics.

We can keep doing that. One suggestion: let’s collaboratively hold six community forums focused on solutions, not political slogans.

Each would focus on one topic (possibilities: job generation, long-term county funding, foreclosures, food security, water, transportation). Each would take place in a different town; we’ll ask city councils or service clubs to host/moderate. Each would specifically invite citizens who’ve been studying and working on each topic. And, really stretching, the four of us would limit our talking to 20% of the time and listen the other 80%.

If these events produce even a few ingredients for practical, effective solutions, then county residents win this election no matter which two of us end up taking office.

I’d like to work on this with all interested candidates. Call 541/858-0585 and we’ll work out details.

JG

We invite you to visit our campaign website.

Today's the Day

Today's primary election day. We'll win. Our campaign has no opponent today, a slightly strange feeling as I watch hard-fought races all around me.

If you're reading this in Oregon, especially in Jackson County, please do one thing today if you haven't already: VOTE. This is important. The finalists for two of the three seats on the Board of Commissioners will be determined today, a majority that could--probably will-- have a huge impact on the Valley's direction over the next four years. If you're voting as a Democrat in the position #3 race between Buck Eichler, Jim Sims and Mark Wisnovsky, take a good look to see who you think would best represent you. If it's close, give the nod to whoever you think has the best chance to win in November, because I'd very much like to serve with one of these guys. And I have every intention of winning position #1.

The General Election campaign starts tomorrow. Let's do what we can do...

A New Welcome...

As of today the campaign website has a new welcome video that uses 80 seconds to get across our core belief: county government can serve people best these days only by plugging in to the civic and "social capital" sector that flourishes here. Pass this post along to friends who care.

People love living in this Valley. That comes out in the thousand ways they're willing to volunteer to make it better. The question they should hear from government (as you already know if you've seen the video) is How can we help what you're doing? In this campaign, and in my tenure in Commissioner, we'll find great answers to that question.

Kudos and big thanks for the development of our visual campaign to videographer Ed Keller and webmaster Rob Landeros.

"Aren't you running for Commissioner?"

I've heard from a few people who are puzzled. They heard somewhere that I'm running for Jackson County Commissioner, but wonder why I haven't been mentioned in Mail Tribune's editorial endorsements when every other candidate has been, why no Golden signs have sprung up in anyone's yard, why they're not seeing me ask for votes on radio or TV or post-card mailings. Most don't know that my race in the May 18 primary is over.

So, some basic background: two of the three Jackson County Commissioner seats are up for election. Position #3, which Commissioner Dave Gilmour is vacating, has three Candidates vying for the Democratic nomination and five for the Republican. Then Position #1 has incumbent Jack Walker running against three candidates for the Republican nomination. I'm unopposed for the Democratic nomination, leading to my so-far unrefuted claim to be the very best candidate in that primary race, hands down.

Which doesn't mean we're visiting tanning booths or catching up on the soap operas these days. I've been re-educating myself on county issues, finding out what people around the county are hoping or worried about and putting the pieces together to run a high-quality campaign in the fall. Which will be even higher quality if you get involved.

So don't worry about what might seem like an overly laid-back beginning; come join us as the gears begin fully engage. Thanks.

The $90,000 -- or is it $100,000? -- question

Of all the issues County Commissioners and Commissioner candidates don't like talking about, elected official salaries have to top the list. Too bad, because folks at just about every public forum or interview understandably want to hear about it.

This has been unusually hot this cycle. Over the last couple of years the base salary for Commissioners has jumped from $66,000 to a little over $90,000, plus very generous benefits---all at a time when so many voters (more to the point, taxpayers) see their economic lives swirling down toward the drain. It's not hard to see what the anger is about.

There's lots to say on this issue, but the short version is this: if elected I plan to accept the $90,000+ and work as hard and smart as I can every day to earn it. Is it too much? That depends completely on what taxpayers get for their money. If the next commissioner spends most of his time looking over the shoulder of County Administrator Danny Jordan, nodding in approval, and sitting through routine meetings, then he's just doubling up on management. That's not worth much.

We don't need more management. We need more leadership, a collaborative kind of leadership that puts government, business and the non-profit civic sector to grab hold of challenges that everyday steady-as-we-go management alone won't solve. Which challenges? I lay those out at the campaign website. Here I just want to suggest that the constant question "is $90,000 too much?" misses the point, which is this : Too much for what? It's about five times too much to pay someone for just warming the chair. If we elect people with the practical intelligence, tenacity, creativity and gift for bringing people together to get this county economically sturdier and more self-reliant, the salary is a bargain. Which, of course, is how I hope people will tend to look back on my time in office, if given the privilege of getting there.

So I'm okay with $90,000, and charged up to earn it. What I'm not okay with is a proposal in the curent budget to hike the salary yet again this year to close to $100,000. At some point these raises rub the noses of struggling taxpayers straight into the mud. With this new proposal we've arrived at that point. Approving it would signal Commissioner cluelessness about Rogue Valley life that would just about take your breath away.

Anyone see this differently?

The Agricultural Challenge to "We're All in This Together"

Wednesday evening I was one of seven Commissioner candidates (and the only Democrat) who visited with the Jackson County Farm Bureau over an informal dinner. What became clearer is the goal of bringing different-thinking people together, even if they do share dedication to the valley and concern for the future, is a lot easier to say than do. I don't blame those who wonder if it's possible.

I knew a few of these farmers from the old days, both the early 70s when I lived in Sams Valley and as a Commissioner in the 80s. The ones I know are good people, reliable, straightforward, generous to the community, hardworking as they come, largely separate from the multinational agribusiness matrix you saw in "Food, Inc." These folks want to feed us, and make a living and live a certain way as they do it. We're lucky to have them.

And....their anger at any environmental limitation gets close to rage. Wednesday night their heads nodded up and down enthusiastically as candidates got up and promised to fight to end statewide land-use planning, federal regulation of the forest, reduction of any irrigation allotments (against the extremists who "think fish are way more important than people!"). When I shared my experience of hearing from farmers with different views on whether or not use of ag lands should be restricted by the state, another candidate got up and said "Well, maybe there's some grower of something-or-other out there in Birkenstocks and a ponytail who says different, but real farmers feel the same [that the state should get out of the way of their right to develop their land just as they choose]."

From an Ashland perspective it's not hard to dismiss all this as extreme, overly self-interested, whatever. But think for a minute what it would feel like to work as hard as farmers do their whole lives (my experience with bucking hay in the 1970s cured me for a lifetime), have so much trouble making a living or even holding on to their farms, and watch three decades of more and more and more regulation. I happen to believe that their troubles stem a lot more from globalization policies and the perverse economic impacts of the big U.S. Farm Bills than from environmental rules, but in their shoes I might not feel much differently than they do; a new proposal to create a Siskiyou Crest National Monument (which they hate) is a much more conspicuous target for them than Cargill's pricing policies or Monsanto's monopoly seed strategy.

As a candidate, I'm going to listen hard, and be willing to have my own beliefs tested. Some aren't going to change -- sorry, I don't believe that reducing the huge federal subsidy of water for Klamath Basin potato farmers so that salmon can survive is "putting fish before people," and I'm not going to repeal land use laws so that farmers can sell off or build on prime ag lands, no matter how much heat there is about trampled individual property rights. But neither am I going to write local farmers off as dense people who care nothing about their kids' future. They're not.

What I'd like from anyone paying attention are the best ideas on narrowing the gap between these folks and the ag people & policies that are figuring out how to farm, and farm in economically realistic ways, in the world as it is -- particularly those dedicated to making us more self-reliant in the face of a global food system that is not doing us any big favors. I'd really value concise statements of good ideas....

The "worst commissioner in Jackson County history"...

...is Jeff Golden. That would be me.
I got the title Monday night from Jack Walker, the 16-year incumbent in the Commissioner seat we want to win. "I signed the recall petition when he was Commissioner," Jack said. He was referring to a 1989 recall attempt mounted by elements of the timber industry, when the listing of the Spotted Owl flattened the timber economy. What enflamed Jack and some others was my position that it was time to switch gears, to offer timber workers training in other skills, to re-tool mills so that they could process smaller logs, to strengthen other economic sectors. I then worked with others in the region on economic strategies that weren't dependent on high-level timber harvests. Today, twenty years later, and after 16 years with Commissioner Walker at the helm, we haven't made nearly as much progress building a healthy modern economy as we all expected.
If you want to hear more details about the old days, feel free to contact me at golden4jaxco@gmail.com. But those are the old days . Revving up old feuds, as Jack wants to do, is a perfect way to distract attention from the huge challenges we're facing right now, reflected in waves of people losing their homes, unable to find jobs (and therefore unable to be customers of other businesses), struggling to go to college, wondering if their retirement is possible. Huge issues. Today's issues. That's what candidates who deserve your consideration have to talk about. That's where I'll be focusing, not with magic answers-- I don't think there are any-- but with the most practical and promising ideas I can find, which means listening carefully to anyone who wants to play a positive role.

I pledge to do whatever I can to help keep our eye on the ball.

Here's more on our campaign.

A Transportation Wakeup Call

April 14 was Transportation Freedom Day in the Ashland-Medford area. All of the money earned by the 'average' resident for the year up until that day -- 28% of his or her total annual income -- goes to paying for private automobile transportation. From April 15 on, we can start paying for other little things, like rent, clothing, food.

There was a local event last week to make that point. It's a powerful one. I'm not sure how many people know all thatwe pay out-of-pocket for 1-car/1-passenger transportation. And if the price of oil makes the jumps that almost everyone expects, and if we don't get serious about transportation alternatives for people who can't (or don't want to) spend this kind of money on their cars--well, then, look for Transportation Freedom Day to slip into May before too long, and then June, and then...

County leadership has to get more aggressive about pulling together the best ideas and the major players who've been working hard for some good transportation choices. It's past time.