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Deborah Kafoury stepped into the position of chairwoman of the Multnomah County Commission in 2014 with a big challenge on her hands.

鈥淚 think we’ve had in Multnomah County over the past six years three chairs and two interim (chairs),鈥� Kafoury said. 鈥淭hat’s a lot of change at the top.鈥�

She knew that lack of stability could take an eventual toll on an organization as large as Multnomah County. 聽But she was determined to set the county on a steadier path.

鈥淗aving stability at the very top is very important,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t’s important for people to know the direction the county is headed. That’s been the biggest challenge 鈥� helping people come to accept we were going to have stability.鈥�

Under Kafoury’s leadership, and with what she says was a great job by her budget and finance team, the county finally has a stable budget. But she still feels the need to step forward with careful steps when it comes to how that extra money will be spent. She wants to make sure that the county will be able to pay for several years in the future for any new programs started now.

鈥淜nowing full well what it feels like to have years of budget cuts, I’m really cautious about not spending every last dime,鈥� she said.

As Kafoury studies the county’s budget for this year, she’s already identified several key areas where she would like to make a difference.

鈥淥ne big priority is housing,鈥� she said. 鈥淚’ve learned through years on the commissions and time spent campaigning talking with people in the community that it’s not surprising that if people have a stable roof over their heads, they have better outcomes and hold down jobs.鈥�

In addition to making sure county residents have safe and affordable places to live, Kafoury is behind a push to regulate e-cigarettes to keep them out of minors’ hands. She’s also advocating to retrofit diesel vehicles, starting with the county’s fleet, to cleaner alternatives.

鈥淚 don’t expect that is going to be something that (we) turn around overnight, but we need to start,鈥� she said.

Before becoming chairwoman, Kafoury had served as a county commissioner. While she still deals with some of the same issues, there’s one big factor that’s changed.

鈥淔or me, personally, I feel the weight of the world on my shoulders,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 take the position very seriously, knowing that if something goes wrong, it’s going to be my responsibility.鈥�