Red Light Cameras
While safety is an important goal, spending $2.3 million on just four red light cameras for three locations is not a wise use of public funds. The data cited is national in scope, not Bend specific, and does not prove that these cameras will meaningfully improve safety in our community.
The city itself admits the program is intended to “generate revenue to eventually pay for itself,” which highlights its real purpose and that is raising money through citations rather than solving traffic issues. Studies in other cities have shown that red light cameras often create new problems, including abrupt stops leading to rear-end collisions, while doing little to reduce serious accidents.
For a fraction of the cost, Bend could invest in proven safety measures such as improved intersection design, better signal timing, flashing crosswalks, and increased officer presence—solutions that directly address unsafe driving behavior without relying on an expensive outside vendor contract.
At a time when resources are limited, it is wasteful to commit millions to a controversial program with questionable safety benefits, when those funds could be used for infrastructure improvements that deliver real, lasting results.
-Nicole Moore-Perullo
County District Mapping
Right now, Deschutes County commissioners are elected at-large. Every voter in the county gets to weigh in on every seat. That’s simple, transparent and fair: one person, one vote. But Commissioners Tony DeBone and Patti Adair are pushing to change that system — and they want to do it fast.
They’ve directed the formation of the District Mapping Advisory Committee (DMAC) to create district-based maps for future county elections. On its face, that might sound harmless, but the process and timing tell a different story. The DMAC is working on a rushed schedule this fall, with weekly meetings and drafts of maps being pushed forward quickly. Public meetings are scheduled during work hours, making it difficult for ordinary residents to attend. The timeline allows little room for thoughtful community feedback or careful consideration of how new maps will affect representation across the county.
It’s important to be clear: there is no mandate requiring Deschutes County to move from at-large to district-based elections. This is not a change required by law or forced by outside authority. It is a choice being made by the current majority on the commission. And it’s a choice with long-term consequences.
Even more troubling, the two new commissioner seats created for the 2026 election will still be elected at large. That means the maps currently being discussed would not even apply until future election cycles. So why the rush? The answer is unsettling. Both DeBone and Adair are up for re-election in 2026. By drawing new districts now, before voters have their say, they are setting the rules for elections that will take place after their own political futures are decided. Even if voters replace them, the maps they put in place today could lock in advantages for their allies long into the future. That is how gerrymandering works — politicians choosing their voters instead of voters choosing their leaders.
The consequences are enormous. District maps determine whose voices are represented on the commission. They will shape how decisions are made on housing, water, wildfire preparedness, land use, transportation and growth –— issues that touch every life in Deschutes County. Once locked in, these maps could guide policy for decades. If the process is rushed and manipulated, the result will not be fair representation. It will be a partisan power grab disguised as reform.
At-large elections have one significant benefit: accountability. Every commissioner is accountable to every voter in the county. If you don’t like the direction of the board, you have a say in replacing any of them. Under a district system, your power is reduced. You might only be able to vote for one commissioner, even though all five will be making decisions that impact you. That loss of accountability should not be taken lightly, especially when the county is facing complex challenges around growth, affordability and climate resiliency.
Meanwhile, the opportunities for public participation are being tightly controlled. Each DMAC meeting allocates just 15 minutes, as needed, for public input. In-person attendees must sign up at the meeting and online participants must use the “raise hand” feature on Zoom. Each person is allowed up to three minutes, but if more than five people sign up, the facilitator will cut time down so the total does not exceed 15 minutes. That is hardly meaningful engagement on an issue that will shape the future of the county. Residents can also email comments to DMAC@deschutes.org, but again, this is no substitute for real deliberation and transparency.
This is a local version of what we have all watched unfold nationally. Across the country, elected officials have manipulated district boundaries and voting rules to preserve their own power. We’ve seen how this undermines trust in government, discourages voter participation, and fuels polarization. Now, that same playbook is being applied here in Deschutes County, right under our noses.
Democracy only works if the rules are fair and the process is transparent. Rushing through district maps without real public engagement violates both principles. Residents deserve the chance to understand what is being proposed, to ask questions and to be part of shaping the outcome. Instead, decisions are being made in a compressed time frame that benefits the incumbents while sidelining the public.
I urge my neighbors to get involved before it’s too late. Attend a DMAC meeting, even if it means tuning in virtually. Sign up to speak if you can. Submit written comments by email. And most importantly, spread the word. This process is moving fast, and most residents don’t even know it’s underway. That’s exactly how those in power want it.
Don’t let them succeed. We need to insist on fair representation and reject partisan power grabs, whether they happen in Washington, D.C., or right here in Deschutes County. Our local democracy is too important to be rewritten behind closed doors and on a rushed timeline. The people of Deschutes deserve better.
-Brandy Berlin
MAKE LOCAL JOURNALISM HAPPEN
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I wonder if the Source could get a counterpoint to Brandy Berlin’s letter from DeBone and Adair, who seem to be pushing the districting idea? Ms. Berlin’s letter asks questions that deserve answers in the light of day, that we can all read without going to a meeting.