After careful consideration, and at the generous urging of friends, supporters, and colleagues, I have decided to seek another term as an Orange County commissioner. Serving in that capacity has been an honor and a privilege for which I am most grateful to the voters of our very special county.

We face a tremendously unsettled economic landscape and a period of significant transition within Orange County government, circumstances in which I believe my experience, willingness to listen, and my commitment to seek collaborative, creative solutions still stand our community in good stead.

I remain firmly committed to quality public education and environmental stewardship; to providing a social safety net for those least able to help themselves; to a government that is cost-effective and customer-oriented; to meaningful support for sustainable economic development; and to proactive partnerships within and beyond our county in education and library services, transportation and environmental stewardship, agricultural enhancement and solid waste management, land-use planning and enhanced service delivery.

Over the coming weeks and months I will share fresh ideas on how to approach the challenges and opportunities that confront us, just as I have throughout a quarter-century of public service as a citizen-volunteer and public servant.