BY KRIS HILL
khill@maplevalleyreporter.com
No matter the topic of the question during the legislative candidate debate on Sept. 23, every answer came back to money, or more specifically a serious lack of it.
The debate, co-hosted by the Maple Valley-Black Diamond Chamber of Commerce and the Covington-Maple Valley Reporter, brought in the candidates from the 5th and 47th Legislative districts.
The districts cover parts of east Renton and the Fairwood area.
Glenn Anderson, a representative from the 5th, and challenger David Spring tackled an early question on road improvements and how to pay for them. State Route 169 is of particular interest to residents of the 5th district.
“In the next few years we’re going to have to create jobs and transportation infrastructure is going to be a huge part of that,” Anderson said. “For state Route 169, the cost for the full fix is about $250 million. We should make sure whatever money we take out (to fix SR 169) is not bonded.”
Spring said he feels the solution is not the state’s “extremely high gas taxes” or toll roads, both of which, he said, put unfair burdens on the middle class. Rather the state should create what he described as an equitable tax structure in which the wealthiest state residents pay more taxes than they do now.
“We can completely fix up the entire 169 corridor and we would have money to spare for all kinds of projects and create all kinds of jobs,” Spring said.
Jay Rodne, a Republican representative from the 5th district, and challenger Greg Hoover took on a question about proposed liquor initiatives.
Hoover, who grew up in California, said he was opposed to the idea of privatizing liquor sales due to safety concerns.
“When I was a kid, I would ride my bike down to the store to get some gum,” Hoover said. “I would see a drunk man outside the store waiting for his next bottle of tequila. I don’t want my son exposed to that.”
In addition to that, Hoover said, there are statistics that bear out the idea that allowing liquor sales anywhere at anytime causes an increase in crime.
Rodne, however, supports the proposal that privatizes “the entire liquor- distribution business. I don’t think the state should be in the liquor distribution business. According to Sen. Rodney Tom… he conservatively estimated that we could save about $300 million (each) biennium. And I think that’s the way to go. We spend an inordinate amount of money on leases and overhead to distribute alcohol in the state.”
Then there was the question regarding examining the character of a political candidate.
Spring said he believes it’s appropriate because when you’re talking about politicians, you’re talking about who you trust.
“On the other hand is that my own personal beliefs is that we have to be careful when we’re judging people,” Spring said. “I don’t want to have a National Enquirer kind of debate, is this is a good person or is this a bad person? I do believe that what’s important is people’s public record.”
Anderson said that something politicians learn quickly “is that it is truly a transparent fish bowl. You have to have a thick skin and a sense of humor. What I believe is that I’m going to live my life as who I am. I don’t want to be a cardboard cutout politician. I want to pay attention to you and who you are and why this issue is important to you.”
Anderson added that he understands people make mistakes but he has never lived under a false identity because “I am who I am.”
The representative added, “In politics, if you want a friend, there’s a reason they say you should have a dog. I have three.”
Claudia Kauffman, the state senator representing the 47th District, and her challenger Joe Fain, were asked if they support toll roads to pay for road construction.
“The tolling that is currently on (State Route 167) is a pilot project,” Kauffman said. “One thing that I do is I constantly advocate on behalf of the citizens of the 47th District to educate people on what it is… that it is a pilot project and that it is also an HOV lane and a HOT lane.”
Fain said building and maintaining roads is expensive.
“I’m not wholly opposed to tolls, but we need to be thoughtful in how we use them,” Fain said. “Particularly in how it impacts freight movement in the region.”
Rodrigo Yanez, who is challenging Pat Sullivan, D-Covington, for his position in the 47th District, fielded a question on what can be done to deal with the deflation of housing prices in the area.
“One quickly comes to mind and it’s the amount of regulations that we have in order to build a house in King County,” Yanez said. “We have so many regulations that practically one-third of the price of the home goes to pay the costs of those regulations. Over the years too many things have been added without taking the regulations that may be obsolete out.”
Geoff Simpson, D-Covington, and his challenger Mark Hargrove were asked why voters should choose them over their opponent.
“I think Mr. Hargrove is a very nice man and a good upstanding member of the community,” Simpson said. “I think the community could do a lot worse than electing Mark Hargrove. Having said that, it takes a lot to know how to get something done in Olympia. There are people who have served there one term, two terms, who still don’t know how to get a bill passed. It takes some time to learn how to be effective there. I’ve been in the Legislature for 10 years. I’ve been a committee chair for six years. I’ve been very effective for my community. Now is not the time to send an inexperienced legislator to Olympia to try and improve things for our economy.”
Hargrove rebuffed the idea that a citizen legislature needs professional politicians.
“I don’t have experience on raising taxes, I don’t have experience in expanding the role of expanding government,” Hargrove said. “We need someone who represents the district. This is not just against Mr. Simpson. I think the representation of our entire district is an aberration of our district.”
In closing statements, Yanez explained why he decided to run against Sullivan, who was unable to attend the debate.
“I decided to run back in April this year because I got really frustrated with the way things were going in Olympia,” Yanez said. “The incumbents… they’ve been there long enough. I don’t like when a government takes away the will of the people. We can’t be taxed to prosperity. We need to create jobs… for real people.”
Kauffman, who is seeking her second term, said she wants to continue to work in Olympia on behalf of her constituents.
“The truth of the matter is this office isn’t just an R or a D… this is about Claudia Kauffman being effective and responsive to the citizens of the 47th District,” she said. “I have been responsive. I went down to Olympia and I did what you asked for.”
Fain described his candidacy as “quite an adventure.”
“It’s been less about me showing up and saying we’re going to do this, this and move on but about realizing that the job of a legislator is to show up and listen,” he said. “It’s about helping each and every one of you access government bureaucracy. I’ve worked in King County so I know something about messed up government. I want to be an ombudsman for you.”
Rodne concluded the evening with his closing statement.
“The message I want to leave with you all is that we are in a fundamentally altered economic reality,” Rodne said. “The key has got to be job creation and job growth. We cannot tax our way out of this economic recession. What we need to do, quite honestly, is to have a new commitment to what is the proper role and size of state government.”
A transcript of the debate is available online at www.covingtonreporter.com or www.maplevalleyreporter.com
Reach Kris Hill at khill@maplevalleyreporter.com or 425-432-1209 ext. 5054.
