Walla Walla County Commissioner District 2: A Republican Battle Royale
By Ryan Schreck

Party politics will not be present in the Walla Walla County Commissioner election. Washington state's new "top two" primary system has narrowed the District 2 race down to two Republican candidates. Democrats may see this as a "can't lose" situation for the GOP, but voters still need to choose a side in the main event. Let's meet the competitors.

In The Red Corner
Perry Dozier credits his education and career experience with preparing him for the post of County Commissioner. With an economics degree and managerial experience, he feels equipped to address the county's $60,000,000 budget. As an officer for the Washington Association of Wheat Growers and past commissioner of the Washington State Barley Commission, Dozier has developed a network comprised of local, state and federal lawmakers. Together with the lessons he's learned about navigating government bureaucracy, he feels this will give him a leg up in securing state and federal funding for county projects.

Central to Dozier's platform is the need to address rising property taxes. He stresses that the business sector needs to continue to grow in order to solve this problem. He plans to work with the Port of Walla Walla and others to broaden the tax base through the retention of existing businesses and the recruitment of new ones. This, he says, will relieve some of the tax burden currently carried by individual property owners.

As a lifelong resident of the Walla Walla Valley, Dozier has witnessed the changes in the valley. As commissioner, he would aim to keep things moving in a positive direction. "I have seen and experienced the evolution of growth and diverse economic expansion [of the area]," he says. "I want to work to continue the prosperity of our county for the present and future generations."

And In The Other Red Corner
Sheryl Klicker Cox's childhood experiences in the Walla Walla Valley taught her some of the values she would bring to the county commissioner seat. "I spent my youth in the berry fields, where I learned two very valuable lessons. First, I developed a very strong work ethic . . . Secondly, I learned the value of a dollar. As a County Commissioner, I would value every taxpayer dollar as if it were my own."

Efficient management of a budget is something she learned as a member of the Walla Walla Catholic Finance Committee and as a business owner. Her recreational ranch caters to tourists, but she is also a fourth-generation cattle rancher who recognizes the importance of balancing the increase in tourism and urban development with the preservation of our natural resources. While striving to boost tourism, she also works to ensure the sustainability of the state's agriculture as a gubernatorial appointee to the Washington State Farmland Taskforce.

Cox believes a County Commissioner should be a facilitator and communicator. She stresses the importance of working with other elected officials in order to achieve goals. And she wants the community's help in determining what those goals should be. "I believe that we who live in Walla Walla County know our area and communities the best," she says. "I will listen, ask questions, and seek background information. I am a decision-maker and I will make the tough calls when they need to be made."

This new election format has shattered the prism of party loyalty through which candidates are often judged. Democrats may feel underrepresented on the ballot, but they will face the same challenge as Republicans on Election Day—the challenge of voting for a person rather than a party.

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