Joanna Turner

Political platform statement

Why I am running for this office: The political machine in Klickitat county is only interested in maintaining the status quo. This line of thinking hasn't benefited the majority of residents, only a chosen few. Decisions have been informed by that single school of thought for decades. It is time for a change. We can do better. We have to do better. My voice at the table will allow for better conversations to happen. Conversations that take into consideration all the residents of Klickitat county. Klickitat County residents deserve to have positive experiences with local government and to know that they matter. I want to build a community and government that is inclusive of all and forward thinking not reactionary. I want to ensure that everyone has access to the resources they need to live a full and joyful life right here in the county they love and call home. I believe that our elected officials can do better and that I have the skills needed to create an environment where that can happen. We need to have better conversations which will lead to better decisions, so that we have better outcomes for all of Klickitat county.

Education/Profession: As a current member of the Trout Lake Community Council, I actively work towards building community. I am a entrepreneur and prioritize paying the women who work for my janitorial business more than a living wage. I am an advocate at Helping Hands Against Violence and volunteer at the local community garden. I graduated Suma Cum Laude from Hamline University with Bachelors degrees in Philosophy and Women’s Studies. I have a A.A.S. in Marketing and a Permaculture Design Certificate. I am trained as a Master Recycler from Portland, OR and Minneapolis MN. I have participated in and completed numerous trainings pertaining to my current work with Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. This has including various Prevention Training. I am a Our Whole Lives Educator and have led Racial Justice Trainings for almost a decade. I also have my CDL.

Position statement 1: For far too long we have had only one voice on the board of county commissioners. That single school of thought has not served the majority of residents in this county. It has been beholden to special interests and has not been equatable. We need some checks and balances in the system and we need a voice that is willing to speak up when something isn't right. I am that voice. I have not been groomed for this position and I have no vested interests to protect as commissioner. My priority is the residents of Klickitat County and making life here better for everyone. One way to do that is through a commission that is more connected to the community. I will work towards creating a more transparent and accessible commission by changing meeting times and locations. Implementing changes like using video and not just sound to interact remotely with constituents, will at least allow residents to know who is participating in the meetings. I will seek out information and listen to input from many sources - not just those who share my point of view or political affiliation. Through this campaign I have met many amazing people all over the county who feel disenfranchised by local government. I want to draw them in and make the process more inclusive. I want to hear your ideas and capitalize on the resiliency that we already have present in this amazing community.

Position statement 2: We need increased access to mental health care and care that is affordable and comprehensive. For far too long we have had inadequate mental health care in this community. As a mother of three teenagers I know inimitably the need for support and the challenges when trying to access it. Community members need services that will support them from many angles, not just one. We need to prioritize prevention at all levels, not just when there is an acute issue to be addressed. If we want to be a resilient community as we move forward and recover from this pandemic and the changes that it is wreaking on our lives, we absolutely need to be supporting the larger community through creative and alternative means of care. Clinical mental health care is necessary and we need more of it - but it is not enough. Until our commission prioritizes community building and community care, we will continue to be adversely affected by things that are heading towards us. We need to build our community resilience.

Position statement 3: I want to prioritize getting broadband to even the most rural residents. There is no excuse in this day and age for Klickitat county to not have better access to broadband. We have children who can not participate in remote learning. We have adults that can not work from home. Residents who can not connect with social circles because of physical distancing. Seniors who don't have access to services. This needs to change. Lack of broadband access has disproportionately affected our community during Covid. It is irresponsible of our current commission to not have done everything in their power to create a reliable network for our residents years ago.

Position statement 4: We are on the front lines of the climate crisis. It is our responsibility to proactively create infrastructure (like housing, community broadband and septic) that can handle the changes that are coming. We need to educate residents about our changing world and how we can mitigate some of those changes. We need to explore and implement ideas that will keep our communities safe and help them meet the new needs that will arise as a result from climate migration and things like increased fire and how our wildlife/urban interface influences this. We do not have a comprehensive long range county plan. This is an integral part of designing our communities for our future and our children's futures. We are going to see more and more people moving into our community and we need to plan well for that migration and not just be reactionary. We already do not have adequate Senior housing, this needs to change. We do not even have safe and affordable housing for many residents. Part of this process is really looking at Economic Development and the type of business that we want to invite into our community. Do we want glam camping? or things like disbursed green energy which could include opportunities like solar panels on residences, methane digesters', and wind turbines that are spread around not centralized.

Position statement 5: I want to strengthen our local food chains and protect our water. I am constantly amazed and grateful for the access we have here to clean water and great, local food. One of our greatest strengths is the natural resources that are here and our farmers/ranchers. I want to make sure that we are doing everything in our power to sustain and protect our waterways. By shoring up our local food supply chains we can create more reliable local sources for not only residents but also small businesses like restaurants. We need local food distribution routes and to support our local farmers and ranchers.

Endorsements: Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation The Southwest Washington Central Labor Council National Women's Political Caucus Klickitat County Democratic Party IBEW Local 48: International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Sierra Club