Why I’m running
Last fall, my wife, son and I returned home to Bend from a two-year active duty assignment overseas with the U.S. Coast Guard, where I had the privilege of representing the United States to seven foreign countries as our senior military diplomat.
Like many of you, we chose to return to our home in Deschutes County because we think it’s the best place in the country to live, work and raise a family. But that doesn’t happen by chance — it takes experienced and steady leadership, a positive vision for the future, and hard work from all of us.
I’ve devoted my life to public service, and that’s why I’m stepping up to run for Position 1 on the Deschutes County Commission: to help our community navigate urgent challenges and drive the change we need to make our shared home in the High Desert more affordable, prosperous, safe, and resilient.
I’m a 22-year U.S. Coast Guard veteran and former Federal law enforcement officer, small business owner, climate scientist, and a nationally-certified incident commander who has helped hundreds of communities in Oregon and across the country respond to and recover from natural and environmental disasters. I’ve spent my career solving complex problems by bringing together diverse voices and constituencies, and I believe Deschutes County is ready for the kind of collaborative, forward-looking leadership this moment demands.
Practical solutions
I’m running on a platform rooted in practical solutions to our toughest challenges, including:
- an “all hands on deck” reinvestment in disaster preparedness, wildfire resilience, and insurance for vulnerable Deschutes County homeowners
- bold County leadership to help us grow equitably and sustainably, creating badly-needed housing while preserving the land use system that makes our High Desert a special place to live
- investments to shore up our failing power grid — reducing skyrocketing utility bills and heading off rolling summer blackouts while we build infrastructure to tap our abundant solar and geothermal energy resources
- creating and sustaining fulfilling, living-wage jobs for all Deschutes County residents
- targeted, proven strategies to address our housing affordability and homelessness crises
I don’t have all the answers, but I’m committed to listening, learning, and leading with integrity.
As I have throughout my career, I’m excited to build lasting partnerships— between the County, our cities, the State, grassroots community organizations, small business leaders, and everyday people who care about this community. Together, we can do far more than any one office or jurisdiction can do alone.
I look forward to hearing from you and getting to know you over the course of the campaign. Please drop me a line at jamie@collins4deschutes.com or message me on Instagram @collins4deschutes so I can hear your vision for our County.
Let’s move Deschutes County forward,
