Legislative candidates focus on education at forum
October 23, 2012
Candidates staked moderate positions and touted the importance of education as the contenders for offices to represent Issaquah in Olympia gathered for a candidate forum Oct. 18.
Education emerged as the signature theme in the races to represent local constituents in the state Senate and state House of Representatives. Candidates also tackled issues related to taxation, transportation, land use and — as lawmakers prepare for more budget cuts next year — government spending.
Editorial
October 23, 2012
Our endorsements for state representatives
Issaquah is divided between the 5th and 41st legislative districts. Redistricting has changed district boundaries, but most Issaquah neighborhoods remain inside the 5th District.
North Issaquah and neighborhoods along Lake Sammamish shifted into the 41st District. Cougar Mountain west of state Route 900 and areas north of Interstate 90 act as the dividing lines.
Local legislative candidates answer questions
October 16, 2012
Click on the image to read candidate responses from state House of Representatives and state Senate candidates in the 5th and 41st legislative districts.
5th Legislative District — state House of Representatives
Chad Magendanz
How can the state fulfill its “paramount duty” to fund education, despite budget limitations?
• Budget writers must follow the Supreme Court ruling to fund education as our “first and highest priority before any other state programs or operations.”
What specific steps can state government take to entice businesses to expand or relocate to Washington?
• Reduce burdensome regulations by aligning with federal standards, reform workers compensation and unemployment insurance programs to lower costs, and simplify the B&O tax structure.
What specific steps can state government take to increase revenue, despite the existing limitations?
• A revenue-neutral swap of state property tax for local school levies would bring $1 billion of education funding into a more regular and dependable tax structure.
What specific steps can state government take to shore up Washington’s higher education system?
• Return to a 50-50 deal with university students and restore funding levels to their historical average, rather than just 8 percent of the general fund.
41st Legislative District candidates tout successes to appeal to moderate voters
October 16, 2012
Maureen Judge
Steve Litzow
Redistricting shifted more Issaquah neighborhoods into the 41st Legislative District, alongside Mercer Island, Newcastle and parts of Bellevue and Sammamish.
The contest to represent the affluent, suburban district in the state Senate is between Mercer Island residents Maureen Judge, a Democrat, and Steve Litzow, a Republican freshman senator.
In 2010, Litzow defeated appointed incumbent Randy Gordon by 192 votes to represent the district in the Senate. The candidates battled to fill the unexpired term of former Sen. Fred Jarrett, a Republican-turned-Democrat and the current King County deputy executive.
“Fred Jarrett, who was an early endorser of mine and is very beloved and well-known in the 41st, has said to me, ‘Maureen, always remember that this is not a blue district, it’s not a red district. It’s a purple district,’” Judge said.
Meet congressional, legislative candidates at forum
October 9, 2012
Hear from the candidates for offices in Olympia and Washington, D.C., at a candidate forum cosponsored by The Issaquah Press, the American Association of University Women and the League of Women Voters.
The lineup for the Oct. 18 forum includes candidates for the state House of Representatives and state Senate, plus a candidate to represent Issaquah in Congress. The forum includes candidates in contested and uncontested races.
The event is not a debate. Candidates offer opening statements to the audience and then answer a series of questions from the moderator, Publisher Debbie Berto.
Local legislative candidates join chambers’ forum
October 2, 2012
Voters can hear from candidates for the state House of Representatives and Senate on Oct. 9 at a forum organized by the Issaquah and Sammamish chambers of commerce.
The lineup includes the contenders for a 5th Legislative District House seat — Republican Chad Magendanz and Democrat David Spring — and the Senate seat — Democrat Mark Mullet and Republican Brad Toft.
The candidates in the 41st Legislative District, state Rep. Marcie Maxwell, D-Renton, and Issaquah Republican Tim Eaves — plus state Sen. Steve Litzow, R-Mercer Island, and Mercer Island Democrat Maureen Judge — also plan to attend.
State Rep. Jay Rodne, R-North Bend, the uncontested candidate for the other House seat in the district, is also expected to attend.
The forum is from 3:30-5 p.m. at Blakely Hall, 2550 N.E. Park Drive. Organizers plan to focus on business and economic issues.
How did Issaquah vote?
September 18, 2012
Data from the Aug. 7 primary shows how Issaquah voters decided — and offers clues to how the local electorate might vote in the November general election.
State legislators earn bipartisan honor
August 21, 2012
Local current and former legislators earned recognition Aug. 16 for efforts to legalize charter schools in Washington.
State Reps. Glenn Anderson, R-Fall City, and Deb Eddy, D-Kirkland; state Sens. Rodney Tom, D-Bellevue, and Steve Litzow, R-Mercer Island; former state Sen. Cheryl Pflug, R-Maple Valley; and other lawmakers earned the bipartisan recognition from the Washington Policy Center.
The nonpartisan public policy research organization honored legislators with the 2012 Champion of Freedom Award.
“We are honored to recognize these legislative champions of charter schools in our state who helped make the case to reform education and put the issue before our state’s citizens this fall,” Washington Policy Center President Dann Mead Smith said in a statement.
Issaquah legislators earn bipartisan honor for charter school efforts
August 19, 2012
NEW — 6 a.m. Aug. 19, 2012
Local current and former legislators earned recognition Aug. 16 for efforts to legalize charter schools in Washington.
State Reps. Glenn Anderson, R-Fall City, and Deb Eddy, D-Kirkland; state Sens. Rodney Tom, D-Bellevue, and Steve Litzow, R-Mercer Island; former state Sen. Cheryl Pflug, R-Maple Valley; and other lawmakers earned the bipartisan recognition from the Washington Policy Center.
The nonpartisan public policy research organization honored legislators with the 2012 Champion of Freedom Award.
“We are honored to recognize these legislative champions of charter schools in our state who helped make the case to reform education and put the issue before our state’s citizens this fall,” Washington Policy Center President Dann Mead Smith said in a statement.
Voters endorse property tax measure, incumbent candidates
August 14, 2012
King County voters endorsed a $200 million property tax measure to build a juvenile justice facility to replace the aging Youth Services Center, a juvenile detention facility in Seattle.
The property tax measure, Proposition 1, appeared on a crowded primary ballot alongside federal, judicial, legislative and statewide contests.
