Have any of your businesses ever had union employees? Have you ever had to work with or bargain with a union?

No. The companies I worked with were either too early-stage to have organized labor, or they were Amazon and Microsoft -- both of which have a well-documented history of resisting unionization. But I am a proud member of local 1308 every since joining the clerk's office as a deputy.What I can tell you is where I actually come from on this. My mom and dad were both union workers their entire careers. I grew up watching what that meant in practice -- the retirement security, the benefits, the protection when something went wrong at work. I didn't need to be convinced that unions matter. I watched them matter in my own house growing up.In every leadership role I've held, I've operated with the values a union is supposed to protect even where no union existed. I was transparent with the people I managed about my own pay, how we calculated ranges, and what it would take for them to earn more. I took mentorship seriously. I paid attention to what motivated each person and tried to build a path for them -- not just extract their output.That's not going to change in this office.I'll be straightforward about what's coming: the county is in a hiring freeze and facing a structural budget deficit. There will be pressure on every office to cut costs. My commitment is to protect jobs wherever I can, to look at every operational dollar before I look at people, and to be honest with my staff about what's happening and why. No surprises. No decisions made behind closed doors that affect someone's livelihood without a real conversation first.A union's core promise is that workers deserve transparency, dignity, and a seat at the table. I believe that. I'll run this office that way whether there's a contract requiring it or not.