Republicans vote both sides of abortion issue
March 12, 2013
Issaquah’s 5th District Republican representatives split on a recent vote of a controversial bill.
The Reproductive Parity Act passed the state House of Representatives March 1, mostly along party lines, with a vote of 53-43. Its language would require health insurance providers who cover live births to cover abortions. With those in favor wanting to protect the coverage of pro-choice options and those opposed attempting to protect a provider’s core values, 5th District representatives Chad Magendanz and Jay Rodne played interesting roles.
Magendanz, of Issaquah, was the only Republican in the majority of voters. He took a fiscal view of the bill that separated him from his party.
Five apply for open Issaquah School Board seat
February 19, 2013
Five people have applied for the school board seat left vacant by Chad Magendanz, who resigned Jan. 9 to serve in the state Legislature.
The position represents Issaquah’s fourth district, which spans from the Issaquah Highlands through the downtown corridor and south to Tiger Mountain and Mirrormont. Anyone who lives in that area was welcome to apply for the seat, and had to have his or her application turned in to the Issaquah School District by Feb. 14. By the time the 4 p.m. deadline came by that day, five people — Lisa Callan, Margo Campbell, Alison Meryweather, Justin Park and Justin Rolfe — had their hat in the ring.
The current school board members will review the five applications and have scheduled candidate interviews for 6 p.m. March 6. If a second round of interviews is needed, those will be March 20. Whoever is appointed to the position will serve out Magendanz’s term through November.
Editorial
February 5, 2013
Separating education is not a budget solution
Last week, the state House of Representatives split along party lines on a proposal to create a separate budget for K-12 education funding. If approved, the education budget would need to have been funded before the state could look at its other obligations.
It’s just not that simple.
House Republicans said their proposal to split the budget was meant to address the state Supreme Court’s 2012 decision that the Legislature wasn’t funding education properly. That might be more believable if they hadn’t been pushing the measure every year since 2006.
Ex-legislator Glenn Anderson applies for Port of Seattle seat
February 5, 2013
NEW — 6 a.m. Feb. 5, 2013
Former state Rep. Glenn Anderson is among 29 applicants for a vacancy on the Port of Seattle Commission — a group of officials responsible for overseeing the Port of Seattle and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
Glenn Anderson
The ex-legislator and Issaquah Republican is invited to address the commission, or submit a statement, Tuesday. The commission is interviewing applicants for a seat left open after former Commissioner Gael Tarleton resigned Jan. 31 to serve in the state House of Representatives.
The commission is allowed 90 days to appoint Tarleton’s successor under state law.
“We are pleased with both the number and quality of the commission applicants,” commission President Tom Albro said in a statement released Monday. “We are looking forward to hearing from each of these candidates tomorrow afternoon.”
Maple Hills Elementary School students visit Capitol
January 29, 2013
The fourth-grade students of Maple Hills Elementary School got an inside look at how laws are made Jan. 17 when they visited the state Capitol in Olympia.
While there to learn about state government, the children met up with state Rep. Chad Magendanz, R-Issaquah, and asked him questions about his new job.
Issaquah School Board seeks applicants for vacancy
January 22, 2013
A seat on the Issaquah School Board is up for grabs.
Board member Chad Magendanz left the position when he resigned Jan. 9 in order to start his new job in the state Legislature.
The remaining four board members have 90 days to appoint a new representative from Issaquah’s fourth district, from the Issaquah Highlands through the downtown corridor south to Tiger Mountain and Mirrormont.
All voting-aged residents of that area are invited to apply for the position by 4 p.m. Feb. 14. The new member would need to serve the remainder of Magendanz’s term, through November 2013.
State Rep. Chad Magendanz gets to work in Olympia
January 22, 2013
State Rep. Chad Magendanz, a former Issaquah School Board member, took the oath of office Jan. 14 to represent Issaquah and the 5th Legislative District in Olympia.
Magendanz, a freshman Republican and 17-year resident in the district, succeeded longtime former state Rep. Glenn Anderson in the House of Representatives seat.
Magendanz is the assistant ranking member on the House Education Committee, and also serves on the House Higher Education and House Technology & Economic Development committees.
Legislators’ priorities reflect education, transportation needs
January 15, 2013
Lawmakers confronted a familiar scenario as the Legislature convened Jan. 14 — a budget shortfall, opposing pressures to preserve essential services and rein in government spending, and a court mandate to spend more money on education.
Mark Mullet
Chad Magendanz
Observers expect education and transportation to rank as the dominant issues in the 105-day session. The state faces a $900 million budget shortfall for 2013-15 and, in the meantime, faces a court order to increase education funding by 2018.
In addition to the statewide issues on legislators’ docket, a lobbyist hired by city leaders to represent Issaquah is in search of support for local projects, including dollars to upgrade transportation infrastructure and Lake Sammamish State Park.
Issaquah is also focused on securing state dollars for a transportation improvement district in North Issaquah near Costco headquarters and high-traffic retail centers.
Chad Magendanz starts role as state representative
January 15, 2013
NEW — 10 a.m. Jan. 15, 2013
State Rep. Chad Magendanz, a former Issaquah School Board member, took the oath of office Monday to represent Issaquah and the 5th Legislative District in Olympia.
Chad Magendanz
Magendanz, a freshman Republican and 17-year resident in the district, succeeded longtime former state Rep. Glenn Anderson in the House of Representatives seat.
Magendanz is the assistant ranking member on the House Education Committee, and also serves on the House Higher Education and House Technology & Economic Development committees.
“It is an honor to be trusted to represent the people of the 5th Legislative District,” Magendanz said in a statement. “Having been involved in education reforms for several years, I am looking forward to continuing the education reform and funding discussion in my exciting new role.”
Democrats dominate Issaquah voters’ choices
January 1, 2013
Strong get-out-the vote operation boosts candidates
Democrats dominated Issaquah in the November election.
City voters chose Democrats for every federal and statewide office on the ballot — sometimes by a broad margin and others by a handful of votes.
Issaquah overwhelmingly supported Democrats in the races for president and vice president, U.S. senator and U.S. representative, and every statewide office. Only incumbent Republican Steve Litzow, a 41st Legislative District state senator representing about half of Issaquah, earned support from a majority of voters inside city limits.
