Why I’m running

Last fall, my wife, son and I returned home to Bend from a two-year active duty assignment overseas. Like many of you, we chose to return to 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 livable, prosperous, safe, and resilient.

I’m a 22-year U.S. Coast Guard veteran, climate scientist, small business owner, and a nationally-certified incident commander who has helped hundreds of communities in Oregon and across the country 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 and wildfire resilience
• 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
• forward-looking climate adaptation strategies to create a viable future for our children, our farms and our transportation systems — all while fighting climate change right here in the High Desert
• creating and sustaining fulfilling, living-wage jobs for all Deschutes County residents
• targeted, proven strategies to address key elements of 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,

Jamie Collins