Local Politics

IntroductionWhen Colene Martin was appointed to the Josephine County Board of Commissioners, the hope was for steady leadership. But a look at her voting record shows a troubling trend: a consistent push for bigger government, new county positions, and higher service fees. While expanding county programs might sound good in a meeting room, it comes with a real-world price tag one that’s falling squarely on the shoulders of local taxpayers, especially our seniors living on…

The role of an elected Board of County Commissioners (BCC) is to provide public oversight, fiscal responsibility, and transparent governance. But recent policy shifts in administrative meetings are raising serious questions about where the real authority lies and whether the public is being left in the dark.We need answers to these critical transparency questions:Delegation of Power: Is it true that the BCC recently approved a policy change giving individual department heads the unilateral authority to…

Last month, the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) terminated all three budget committee members, allegedly because "they all thought the same." While the board needed to stagger terms, they could have simply let current terms expire in November or asked for volunteers to accept one, two, or three-year seats. Instead, by dissolving the committee entirely, the BCC violated ORS 294.414, ignoring established state statutes. The board claims to want "diverse thinking," which explains their appointment…

In a very short time, the current Board of County Commissioners has raised serious red flags regarding our tax dollars: Rate Hikes: They already voted to increase SOS rates. Deficit Hiring: They want to hire 21 new employees that the Budget Committee says we cannot afford. See BCC agenda below. Tax Burdens: They are pushing a tax levy instead of exploring recommended alternatives. The Budget Committee Purge: In a move that undermines independent oversight, the…