Additional Articles by NWV Southern Oregon Edition
Toni Webb and Ron Smith file for commissioner race
GRANTS PASS , OREGON. —Toni Webb and Ron Smith have entered next year’s commissioners race. Showing up just after the Clerk’s office opened on September 10th, Toni Webb became the first person to register for next year’s County Commissioner race. Ms. Webb is a native of Josephine County and received 46% of the vote in the 2012 Commissioner race against Keith Heck. Last year, she ran as a write-in candidate against Simon Hare and received about 5,500 write-in votes.
Toni Webb
Toni has a Bachelors degree in business and communication and a Masters degree in Business. She recently earned a certificate in Change Leadership from Cornell. With a background as a small business owner and experience at the corporate level in finance and marketing, Ms. Webb has a well-rounded view of the opportunities and challenges in our County.
“Economic development, specifically job creation, will go a long way towards solving some of the problems in Josephine County,” says Ms. Webb. “For years, the City and County have had no strategic plan and have largely doled out money in a system of favoritism and cronyism. “Putting people in jail solves crime by that person, often temporarily. But it does not solve the overall crime problem. We need to look at the problems that we continually have –theft, drugs, high school dropout rate, etc.—and fix the underlying causes. One major underlying cause of crime is unemployment.”
Earlier this year, Ms. Webb filed an ethics complaint against Commissioners Hare and Walker when they failed to disclose their partnership investment in a hemp farm.
Without disclosing their business investment first, they sent a letter to the Legislature to protest a ban on hemp farming in the county. Walker claimed that disclosing the relationship never crossed her mind; Hare pledged to be more forthcoming in the future. Webb will write a follow-up article as the Ethics Commission moves through the investigatory process.
Webb is currently working on a Monday, November 2 forum for entrepreneurs in this area. Event will be held at The Haul (121 SW H Street, Grants Pass); 6-7:30pm. Event is FREE, but please make your reservation through Eventbrite.
More information: www.toniwebb.com Ms. Webb is available to speak to informal groups or organizations: toniwebb3@yahoo.com
Ron Smith
Ron Smith, born at Josephine General Hospital, Grants Pass Oregon his family homesteaded in Josephine County over a hundred years ago. They came here to start a new life, and a better quality of life, not only for themselves but for their children and grandchildren.
Ron says, he strongly believes and is totally committed to those principles and ideals that produce a better quality of life for the people and future generations in Josephine County.
Mr. Smith been past President and Founder of People for the USA, Illinois Valley Chapter (a grassroots property right & multiple-use org.). He’s been a past Board member “Illinois Valley Community Response Team” an economic development program for the Illinois Valley.
Mr. Smith was voted “Citizen of the Year 2001” by Illinois Valley-Cave Junction Chamber of Commerce for his leadership with “People for the USA” for opposing National Monument designation ( proposed Siskiyou Wild Rivers Monument) for the whole 1.2 million acre Siskiyou National Forest. Mr. Smith had face to face private meetings here in southern Oregon (Medford BLM office) concerning this monument and other issues with then Secretary of Interior Bruce Babbitt.
Mr. Smith went to Washington DC to defend and lobby for the Klamath Farmers water rights, and dealt with Senator Harry Reed, Senator Gordon Smith, Rep. Greg Walden’s office, and other senators and federal representatives in an effort to seeking relief for the Klamath farmers.
Mr. Smith has also had numerous occasions to meet and deal with the federal and state agencies, Forests Service, BLM and others, concerning management plans for our county lands gaining valuable experience and insight on how these government agencies operate.
Mr. Smith is currently the overseer for the Fruitdale Grange Grants Pass, Oregon. He is a board member of the Josephine County Pomona Granges, Grants Pass Kiwanis, and attends Grants Pass Chamber of Commerce greeters meetings for Fruitdale grange. He is also a member of Josephine County Farm Bureau and Vice Chair for the 9/12 project in Kerby, Oregon.
Mr. Smith tells us that as your County Commissioner I will work diligently and honestly to help create a better quality of life for the people of Josephine County by…
Strongly supporting Public Safety and Law Enforcement, by helping to unify our community, so we all can work together to create long term funding solutions for our County Sheriff’s Department. Also “if ” the Oregon Legislator should pass “HR 21” (the $2.00 per thousand minimum property tax), I would do my utmost to insure that our County Sheriff receives full funding from the increased revenue.
He will work tirelessly to bring the State and Federal agencies into the coordination process with our local county government, this coordination is required by federal and state statutes and thereby will help bring more local control and input over on how our public lands are managed.
By working with nature to help restore a healthier forests, greener watersheds, reduced catastrophic wildfires, better habit for wildlife, this will help foster a growing and stronger local economy.
Mr. Smith will create a business friendly environment, by cutting where ever possible the bureaucratic red tape and regulations that are strangling economic development and by supporting our local timber and mineral industry, small business owner, agriculture, farming and ranching. Mr. Smith vows to vote against raising taxes.
Transparency, openness, and honesty, in our local government is what Mr. Smith wishes to bring to Josephine County along with an open door policy for the public.
Upcoming Articles:
NWV will reveal how your highly paid public servants want to:
1- Put meters on your well to monitor your water consumption.
2- The power company (working with the government) will install (by force) a Smart Meter on your house so they can monitor your electric consumption.
3- Fine you for burning wood to heat your home for polluting the air
4- Charge you for every mile you drive your gasoline or electric powered car.
5- Confiscate food storage from the people during a manufactured or natural crisis.
6 – Create a Snitch Society: Turn your neighbor in for anything that the government deems inappropriate. (It’s called, “See something say Something”)
7- Create Community Oriented Policing.
All they need to accomplish this is your money and blind trust.
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