Endorsement of Phil Brady for County Commissioner

To the Editor,

When I moved to The Dalles nine years ago, Phil Brady was the first person I met. That introduction turned into a friendship built on working together — on school campaigns, on arts initiatives, and on the kind of community projects that don't get done unless people roll up their sleeves and show up.

Phil has always been one of those people.

As someone who works in real estate, I see firsthand what housing pressure looks like in Wasco County. Families are struggling to find homes they can afford, and workers can't stay in a community where there's nowhere to live. Phil understands this — not just as a policy matter, but as a human one. As Chairman of the Columbia Gorge Housing Authority, he has helped move forward 130 units of affordable housing in Hood River and another 76 units coming to The Dalles. That is real progress, and it didn't happen by accident. It happened because Phil does the patient, unglamorous work of bringing the right people together and following through.
That ability to bring people together is what sets Phil apart. I've watched him navigate disagreements, earn trust across different communities, and keep his focus on what matters. He listens before he talks, and he treats everyone — regardless of background or opinion — with genuine respect. In a time when so much of public life seems designed to divide us, that quality is rare and it is valuable.
Wasco County has real challenges ahead. We also have real opportunity. Phil Brady has the experience, the relationships, and the character to make the most of both. I'm proud to support him for re-election, and I hope you'll join me.
- Philip Mascher, The Dalles, Oregon