Vote Phil Chang for Deschutes County Board of Commissioners, Pos. 2

Now that the seats on the Deschutes County Board of Commissioners are nonpartisan, the primary shifts a bit. If one of the four candidates running for Position 2 gets more than 50% of the vote in the primary, they earn the seat and won’t have to continue their campaign through November. But if no one gets 50% or more, the top two of the four candidates now on your ballot will advance to the general election.

In this May primary, our vote goes to sitting Commissioner Phil Chang. During his past four years on the county commission, he’s provided a steady, measured hand on a board that can sometimes feel downright mercurial. Case in point: he’s stayed steadfast in supporting the need for an Adult Parole and Probation facility in the county, which helps keep adjudicated individuals off the streets and monitored. It’s something his two colleagues also initially voted for too, but then cost the county time and money by reversing their decision, in what can only be seen as a politically motivated move to score points for the candidates in this field who did not have to make the tough decision around that issue.

But Chang has more to his resume than just that political wedge issue. Thanks to his leadership, Deschutes County really began to step up and do its part in tackling homelessness overall, supporting the creation of a managed camp, tiny house villages, safe parking and other programs that have helped see more people sheltered in Central Oregon. Likewise, he’s helped see the County offer more land and funds to support affordable housing projects get off the ground. In addition, he’s extremely knowledgeable about a number of important issues and topics that affect Central Oregonians, including water conservation.

Opponent Judy Trego is a knowledgeable and connected candidate, and during our interview, one who often deferred to Chang when looking for details about particular county issues. She seems willing to do the work to serve the County well, but Chang is already serving as a competent public servant, and we see no reason not to hire him again for the job. Vote Phil Chang for Deschutes County Board of Commissioners, Position 2 in the May primary.

This article appears in Source Weekly May 2nd, 2024.