I'm not a politician. I'm a husband, a father, and a third-generation Oregonian with 30 years of real-world financial experience. Clackamas County deserves someone who will be straight with you.
See Where I Stand
My background is not in politics. I'm a listener, a steward, and someone who believes in building a sound and lasting foundation for my community and future generations.
I've worked in mortgage banking for over 30 years. Numbers aren't abstract to me. They represent people's homes, livelihoods, dreams, and futures. I've sat across the table from thousands of families and helped them figure out what they could afford. The same discipline I've used analyzing people's finances applies to dissecting a county budget and making sure your tax dollars are spent wisely.
I'm a husband, a father of three boys, and a third-generation Oregonian who was born and raised in Milwaukie. The only time I left Oregon was to work at the Perkins School for the Blind in Massachusetts. That's where I met my wife, Sharon. When my father passed away, we came back to be with family, because that's what you do.
Oregon isn't just where I live. It's who I am. I'm running because Clackamas County deserves someone who understands the heart of this county and will be straight with you.
— Peter WeaseClackamas County is growing fast and facing real challenges, but the change residents have been asking for hasn't happened yet. We need fresh perspective, financial discipline, and genuine accountability at the table. Not more of the same. I want to make sure the next chapter is built on common sense and transparency.
That's the budget the Board of Commissioners controls, your property tax dollars. 65% goes to public safety. I'll make sure every dollar of the other 35% is spent wisely.
I'm the only one with 30 years of private-sector financial experience, no political background, and promises in writing with deadlines.
These are not campaign slogans. They are specific commitments I can deliver from the commissioner's seat, within the authority the role actually has. Click any section to learn more.
If you work here, you should be able to live here
Deputies, teachers, nurses, tradespeople, young families starting out. The people who keep this county running shouldn't have to commute from an hour away because they can't afford to live where they work.
A big part of the problem is government itself. County permitting can take up to 9 weeks. System development charges add tens of thousands of dollars to the cost of a new home. Zoning rules prevent the smaller, more affordable housing types that people actually need. These are barriers the Board of Commissioners has the authority to fix.
I will work to streamline the permitting process so builders aren't stuck waiting months to break ground. I will push to reduce fees that get passed directly to homebuyers as higher mortgage payments. And I will advocate for policies that encourage more workforce and affordable housing so the people who serve this community can actually afford to be part of it.
Know where your money goes and whether it's working
The county already makes budget data available online, and that's a good start. But knowing how much was spent is not the same as knowing whether it worked.
In my first year I will push to build on what exists and create a plain-language dashboard that shows residents both spending AND results side by side. Which programs are on budget and hitting their goals? Which are over budget or falling short? Right now that information is scattered, technical, and hard for most people to follow.
I will make it simple, clear, and publicly updated. Because transparent government is accountable government.
A commissioner who comes to you
The county has Community Planning Organizations and occasional virtual town halls, but unincorporated residents have consistently reported that communication gaps remain, especially around planning and land use decisions.
In my first year I will commit to attending CPO meetings directly and personally, not sending staff in my place. I will listen to what residents raise, document every concern, and follow through with a response.
I will also push to expand virtual access so residents across all parts of the county, including the Mt. Hood Corridor and rural areas, can participate regardless of distance.
The measure of success is simple: are residents feeling heard? I will ask them directly, every year. You deserve a Commissioner who comes to you.
Measure results, not just spending
The county has financial policies, auditors, and budget committees, and I respect that foundation. But financial compliance is not the same as program performance.
Right now, a department can spend every dollar exactly as budgeted and still fail the people it serves. In my first year I will work to establish outcome-based accountability for every major department, meaning every program must show not just that it spent its budget, but what it actually achieved.
Which services improved? Which didn't? Where are we getting real value and where are we not? I will make those findings public. Residents deserve honest answers, not just balanced ledgers.
See what's funded, what's delayed, and what's falling behind
The county faces an estimated $220 million funding gap in road and bridge work over the next five years, and right now there is no easy way for residents to track where projects stand, what's been funded, or what's fallen behind.
The Sheriff's Office already has strong internal performance tracking, and I give them credit for it. But on the infrastructure side, residents are largely in the dark.
In my first year I will push for a publicly accessible, plain-language roads and infrastructure progress report updated quarterly. Which projects are on track? Which are delayed? What funding has been secured and what gaps remain? If we're falling behind, residents will know, and so will I.
Peter's campaign runs on people power. No corporate donors. No big-money PACs. Just neighbors talking to neighbors.
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