Substance Over Strategy
Politics often attract people who are more interested in winning rather than governing. Unfortunately, this is where the games begin. Instead of focusing on solutions some tend to frame issues in ways that divide, exaggerate and distract. They tend to shift positions depending on the audience, sometimes trade favors behind closed doors, or use procedural tactics to stall progress while appearing cooperative in public. These tactics are baked into the system. It has eroded trust because it prioritizes optics and leverage over honesty and positive outcomes.
In order to break this cycle it will require more transparency, accountability and a willingness from both leaders and voters to reward Substance Over Strategy. The time and opportunity is now. Let’s break that divisive cycle and ensure that Honesty, Integrity and Character are the Foundation that Deschutes County stands for.
—Clifford B. Evelyn
Morgan Schmidt for County Commissioner
Let’s elect Morgan Schmidt for Position 5 of the Deschutes County board of commissioners. Morgan has proven her leadership in many settings. Now she is the executive director for the Red Cross of Central and Eastern Oregon for disaster relief. This means the Red Cross team will travel to locations where homes have been damaged by fire so they can provide assistance for those impacted by loss due to a fire. The Deschutes County Plan for disaster response includes plans for responding to fires as well as other natural hazards. This includes encouraging building fire resistant structures. With this being a part of the county plan there is a reason to believe Morgan Schmidt will be ready to understand first steps to move forward with appropriate responses.
Morgan’s experience is also important in understanding functions of the Deschutes County Health Department. The health department offers services at more than 40 locations in Deschutes County. The financial investment for this year is near $93,000,000 with financing from federal, state and county. Each year the budget committee, composed of all commissioners plus at least three community members, conducts meetings to hear all requests for an annual budget. With Morgan’s administrative experience we can expect she has a base of understanding when the commission adopts financial investments for all county departments. Let’s elect Morgan Schmidt, a candidate with wisdom and experience needed to support programs of Deschutes County.
—Gloria Olson
Elected Officials Represent Constituents
In the April 16 edition of The Source Weekly, Lauren Connally was quoted
saying, “I’m very clear with everyone: I’m going to be me, I’m going to
speak as me, and I’m going to act as me.”
It’s a sad reality of our times that virtually all political candidates
seem to have lost sight of the fact that, above all, our government is a
government of representatives. Our elected representatives, from the
lowest local position to the highest office in the White House, have a
duty to represent their constituents. They are not elected to represent
their personal agenda, their donors, or their political party. Their
duty extends even to all their constituents, including those who may
have voted for a different candidate.
As our midterm elections approach, this constituent is still looking for
any candidate that will publicly commit to represent the will of the
majority of his or her constituents, even when that might differ from
their personal or political agenda.
So I ask all of the current candidates: Are any of you ready to
publicly commit to first and above all, represent the will of the
majority of your constituents?
Your constituents will be watching and hopefully voting accordingly.
—John Larson
Support for Amanda Page
Amanda Page is the most progressive and independent candidate running for Position 3 on the Deschutes County Commission. She has grassroots support as well as endorsements from many unions and organizations that represent our multiracial working class
Her support extends well beyond elected officials and includes several BIPOC organizations—including the Tribal Democracy Project, which is dedicated to elevating indigenous voices in government.
Page has been criticized by some leaders of the Deschutes Democrats for centering her indigenous spirit in her campaign. Her chief opponent’s campaign manager has sought to discredit the Tribal Democracy Project in divisive social media posts.
Amanda Page has proven to be a unifying force on the Redmond School Board. As a County Commissioner she will work to unite people rather than divide them by race or any other measure. Amanda Page will represent and protect all of the people and all of the land.
—Michael Funke
Jennifer Letz for Deschutes County Commissioner Seat #5
The Bend Source’s endorsement for County Commissioner Seat #5 misses what Deschutes County voters have consistently asked for. This isn’t a moment for party politics. With the expansion of the County Commission, it’s a time for experience and leadership that listens to every corner of our community.
Sisters Mayor Jennifer Letz offers exactly that. With more than five years of service on the Sisters City Council and as Mayor, she has built a track record grounded in practical solutions and strong partnerships. Her work on housing, wildfire mitigation, water and community health reflects a people-first approach focused on results rather than rhetoric.
Letz’s leadership style stands out for its emphasis on getting things done. Voters have an opportunity to bring in a leader who understands local challenges and has already demonstrated the ability to address them effectively. While the city of Sisters quickly grows and evolves, she has been doing the work listening to diverse voices and making it a stronger, more resilient community.
As an unaffiliated candidate, Jennifer Letz won’t appear on party mailers or be boosted by paid political campaigns. Instead, her record speaks for itself. Jennifer Letz represents that independence, along with the experience and commitment needed to serve everyone across Deschutes County well.
—Becca Burda
A Cautionary Tale: Return Ballots to Official Drop Boxes
If you want your voice to be heard on May 19th, put your ballot in an Official Ballot Drop Box, not the U.S. Mail.
In the November 2024 general election I naively placed my ballot in the U.S. Mail at the Bend post office more than a week before Election Day. Several weeks later, I received a small postcard informing me that my ballot was not counted. You see, a ballot returned by mail must be not only postmarked by Election Day, but also received by the County Clerk within 7 days of Election Day. This is where things went awry for me in November of 2024 and can for you this election cycle. It turns out that mail dropped in central Oregon is routed through either a Portland or Eugene processing center for sorting — even if the destination address is in central Oregon. This takes time — apparently over a week in my case — and can result in disenfranchising you as a voter — which it did me! Don’t let this happen to you!
This is a very important election. For the first time in the history or our county, we will be expanding the Board of Commissioners from three to five and voting for four of the five positions. (Yes, all of us get to vote for all four commissioner positions!). We also have the ability to elect those commissioners NOW! If any commissioner candidate gets more than 50% of the vote in their race, they win the seat. No waiting until November. So, make sure your vote counts. Put it in an Official Ballot Drop Box, the locations of which can be found at www.deschutes.org/clerk/page/ballot-drop-box-locations.
—Sheila Kelley
For Governor?
Oregon has many serious problems – inadequate budget, substandard educational system, failing infrastructure, climate change, and more. But we have a candidate for governor running TV ads focused on trans girls in sports. We need leaders who will bring us together not divide us; a leader who will address the real issues, not dog whistles.
—James Scott
Two Down, One to Go
With the demise of Lori Chavez DeRemer we’ve taken an important step in getting rid of the toxic influence of MAGA Republicans in Central Oregon. An important next thing has already begun, with Patti Adair stepping away from the County Commission to pursue a seat in Congress, which she is sure to lose. Now we have only one more to go — getting Cliff Benz out of the House. That will take a while, but we’ve got to keep trying.
—Lou Capozzi
Vote Early
Listen up, you beautiful, flannel-clad Bendites! I’m smelling a heavy scent in the air, and for once, it isn’t a $12 triple-hopped IPA or a neighboring forest fire. It’s the sweet, dull thud of Apathy. The sound of a deflating yoga ball leaking over steeped kombucha. People around me are whispering that voting is a dead end street, especially in our high-desert bubble where the “salmon of Capistrano” flock instinctively toward the nearest trailhead in a $100,000 Sprinter van. But here’s the cosmic joke: If voting were actually useless, our shadowy overlords wouldn’t be sweating through their tailored suits trying to build a wall of bureaucracy around the ballot box. Their desperation is your five-star review. The ballot is the only legal sledgehammer we have left to smash the status quo without getting a face full of pepper spray.
If you don’t like the flavor of the current regime, which tastes suspiciously like ponderosa ash and stale disappointment, grab your psychedelic pen and get to work! Stake your claim and set the damn example. When you drop that ballot, you aren’t just participating, you’re a revolutionary leading the herd out of the fog of “whatever.” This election is about local stakes, especially in the expanded County Commissioners race. This isn’t a polite opening act at our local amphitheater, it’s the main, chaotic event where we get to scream “ENCORE!” or “GET OFF THE STAGE!”
Stop letting manufactured malaise harsh your vibe. Don’t abandon a civic right people literally have died for because you’re too busy doom scrolling. Voting is your VIP pass to the only riot that’s actually legal. Inject some beautiful chaos back into the system. Vote early, set the expectation for the skeptics, and for the love of all that is holy, don’t forget to sign the envelope!
—Barry Wicks
Elect Amy Sabbadini
The Source Weekly has made a mistake by not endorsing Amy Sabbadini for Deschutes County Commissioner, Position 3. Her occupational background, as summarized in the opening paragraph about her in the Voters’ Pamphlet, immediately makes her the most qualified person for County Commissioner. Add to that her college degrees: Master of Education, and Bachelor of Arts in ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES. What more could a voter ask for? But Amy does offer much more; just read the numerous Letters to the Editor about Amy in The Source during the past several weeks. We are fortunate that Amy has worked hard for the opportunity to serve as Deschutes County Commissioner, and I believe she deserves everyones’ votes.
—Richard Tomera
MAKE LOCAL JOURNALISM HAPPEN
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