Issues

It is time for Southwest Washington to flourish. We can make this happen if our community supports balancing the budget, developing a stable environment for business and prioritize spending in education.

Priority #1 - Cut Spending

    Balance the budget within revenue forecasts and Funds

    • Every dollar the state spends comes from a hardworking taxpayer. I believe we should base our budgets on our revenues- not base our revenues on our budgets.
    • The legislature needs to be required to adopt a balanced budget. Borrowing money through bonds to pay for daily expenses does not make financial sense and will lead to more problems down the road.
    • A fiscal note needs to be established before the passage of a final bill. The legislature should never approve a program or service before knowing the full cost to the state.

    Prioritize Spending

    • Funding should be distributed based on the highest priorities of the government
    • Annual performance reviews of state programs should be performed and shared with the public to determine the success of a program. Programs which do not fulfill their expected function should carefully be examined before receiving additional funding.
    • Identify overlaps and inefficiencies. Efficiencies can be made so that more funding goes directly toward those that need help instead of increasing the size of government. There has never been a reduction in year to year state spending.

    Lower taxes for families and businesses

    • Higher taxes and fees hurt jobs and, ultimately, families. Out of control state spending has put taxpayers and small business at risk. Lowering taxes on individuals and business will increase tax revenue in the long term and along with a balanced budget will create and sustain prosperity for Washington families.
    • Washington must be conducive to job growth and opportunity for business to remain here. We should only be limited by our talent and work ethic. When businesses are doing well, people are working and revenue is generated to pay for public safety, schools and other services.
    • Move excess revenues in good economic years to the rainy day fund. This allows the state to plan ahead and prepare for natural booms and busts that our state economy has seen over the years.

Priority #2 - Reduce government regulation and burecracy - More Jobs, Less Government

    Reduce the size of state government to reflect declining revenues

    • The state workforce should face comparable reductions as those to the private sector. The government needs to live within their means just like the rest of us.
    • In the current economic environment, the government is growing by increasing taxes on businesses and individuals. Cuts need to be made at the state level.
    • The existing state agencies need to be more accountable to employers.

    Reduce government involvement in private enterprise, i.e. liquor stores, workmens comp, etc.

    • Job creation can only happen when businesses and individuals feel secure in their economic environment.
    • We need to reform the workers compensation system to be more competitive with other states. Washington has the second highest cost per employee in the nation.

    Reduce regulations and fees that discourage growth

    • We need to ease burdensome and costly regulations. Agencies should be issued permit decisions within 90 days or the permit should be automatically granted.
    • State agencies need to be streamlined to be customer-service oriented rather than adversarial to employers.
    • Employers should be given time to correct mistakes before an agency may issue a fine or penalty. Washington must be friendly and open for business to new employers.

Priority #3 - Stabilize Education

    Prioritize spending. Get money back into the classroom.

    • Education needs to be funded first in the budget. Education is the paramount duty of the state.
    • We need to redefine "basic education" to reflect the realities of today's classroom.
    • We can do this by encouraging a focused, quality education of the basics. Our current system is allowing too many students to fail as we expand our curriculum away from Math, Reading, Writing and Science.

    Eliminate unfunded special mandates.

    • We need to prohibit the state government from imposing any mandates onto local governments.
    • The state should adequately fund the fundamentals such as transportation, curriculum and staffing. Fund Education FIRST!
    • Adequate state funding will reduce the local funding obligations that are levied upon us.