County Office

Craig
Pope

Republican (REP)

Occupation: President, Agriweld Inc.

Occupational Background: 22 years manufacturing company owner; Education Technical Consulting; Volunteer Fire Officer; Reserve Police Officer; Adjunct Professor; Oregon Farmer

Educational Background: Studied mechanical engineering at OSU; Crescent Valley High School; Local Fire and Police Academies.

Prior Governmental Experience: Polk County Fire District No. 1 Board, elected 4 year term; Polk County Committee for Citizen Involvement, served 6 years; Luckiamute Domestic Water Cooperative, Vice President, serving second 4 year term.

Community Involvement: Willamette Valley Ag Expo, Chairman 10 years; Oregon Volunteer Fire Fighters Association, Vice President; Mid Willamette Valley Metals Consortium, Chair; FFA Honorary Chapter Degree.

Endorsements:
Senator Brian Boquist SD12
Representative Jim Thompson HD23
Commissioner Mike Propes, Polk County
Phil Walker
Norm Fairchild, West Salem
Bud Bridges, West Salem
Mark Adams, West Salem

My Goals as Your Commissioner

A Balanced Budget
Maintaining fiscal responsibility and providing guidance through honest and transparent management practices. Making the decisions necessary to maintain services we can all afford.

Planning
Always having a "Plan B." After many years in agriculture, I have learned to expect a down economy next season. You budget for it and do not spend what you don't have unless you have a plan to pay for it. Expect costs to increase regardless of revenue and plan for it.

Essential Services
Maintaining critical services even through the worse recessions. I am an advocate for law enforcement services in the county, as well as human services programs that are needed by those that qualify.

Creating a Business Friendly Environment
I know Polk County has resources that will provide jobs that have been lost. Polk County is one of the most business friendly places in the country, and I want to take what we have and make it better.

Land Use Policies
Improving Oregon's land use policies. Working with legislators and interest groups to modernize those policies to fit the 21st century for Polk County.

(This information furnished by Friends of Craig Pope.)