It is a privilege to serve in the legislature and I have loved my time representing you. My priorities reflect the values of our families and communities, and with your vote I will:
- Continue to create affordable housing options, and seek property tax relief for seniors.
- Address the homelessness and behavioral health crises. There should be no “wrong door” when it comes to behavioral health.
- Ensure working families have childcare, housing options close to services and fair treatment at work.
- Create a strong and compassionate human services safety net.
- Ensure that local governments, law enforcement, prosecutors, and advocates for survivors and safety have the tools they need.
- Reduce gun violence and suicide with effective laws and interventions.
- Protect our planet- our air and water, climate, plants, and animals.
Washington must remain a global economic leader– so we must ensure we encourage innovation, have a talented, well-educated community and a fair, transparent, and predictable tax code.
As a businessperson and formerly local government official, I have experience crafting and implementing thoughtful laws that improve lives. It is imperative that we bring people together – more voices make better policies and we must live our values with civil discourse and by working together to find solutions to our common problems.
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Here's my response to the third question from the League of Women Voters of Washington questionnaire.
Question 3: What are the three most urgent issues that the legislature needs to address in the next session?
We are not alone as a country struggling with ideological attacks from far-right activists who do not represent the majority. The transformation of media in my lifetime from objective presentation of facts to opinion to unchecked storytelling is incredibly dangerous. Balancing rights of free speech with the easy spread of misinformation is one of our most important priorities.
We must stand for our values and rights hard fought for and won by defending our election integrity, shining a beacon for health care choice, embracing our diversity as our strength, and sheltering and serving the most vulnerable members of our communities.
In this divisive time, external forces thrive on our internal chaos. We must focus our energy, imagination, and talents on what we can accomplish together rather than deepening the divide between us and driving wedges in communities we serve. As those trusted to be elected, it is our responsibility to lead with respect for the office and those we represent.
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Continuing my series of posts about my responses to the League of Women Voters of Washington questionnaire.
Question 2: What is your view on amending mental health care laws to enable families and the unhoused population to get needed care?
A civilized society does not walk past people lying in the street or struggling in the throes of misuse of substance. We lack systems that enable ordinary people to help strangers or family members. In former times people stayed in the towns where they were born, but we have become more mobile, and our civic organizations and families have not evolved to keep pace with need. Other countries have a stronger social safety net. Rather than funding human services through grants to non-profits, government is the direct source of qualified aid. We need to make that transition. Our over-reliance on community activists to take care of great need is inefficient and unjust.
The substances being used in our time require longer medical detox. We need to ensure there is no wrong door for community members to bring people in need. Involuntary commitment for temporary treatment may be required. We cannot shy away from that responsibility. Crisis centers are growing, and we must advance those efforts.
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The League of Women Voters of Washington gathers responses to questions about important issues from candidates in our state and publishes them in their voters' guide. This is a great resource for voters, and you can access it here to find responses for races in your area: www.vote411.org/lwvwa. I wanted to share my responses with you here, as well, and will publish a series of four posts that include my answers to their important questions.
Question 1: How would you address the rising cost of higher education in the state?
I had the privilege to grow up in a country that provided fully funded tertiary education. We need to strive for the same. Every child deserves a path designed for their specific talents and every occupation should be held in the same esteem as every person’s contribution is essential. Qualified counselors and individual attention to each student’s future is essential. Fully funding college, trade apprenticeships, arts education will address systemic racism and the wealth gap we have created by denying the same opportunity to all.
To transform our innovation economy and to ensure fulfillment of people entering work, we will collaborate with our business to identify needs.
Our federal partners are needed but we must expand assistance, simplify the process to apply and educate our community on availability. Practical help to families in completing forms for aid and for entrance is called for, especially in communities who are not accustomed to their government helping them or their kids.
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Stop bankrolling all the elite universities that already have billions of dollars under management and keeps increasing prices.