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HEALTH CARE
Our health care system is nearly broke. We are losing doctors almost weekly. Normal, hard working people cannot afford health insurance and they must go without or go on state assistance. Employers who would like to offer insurance as a benefit to their employees cannot due to skyrocketing costs. Something must be done.
Our district is the poorest in the state due partly to the lack of living wage jobs in this community. My goal is to bring employers to this district which will provide our people with good wages.  Reform government regulations and reduce red tape to encourage job growth. Overhaul the State Labor and Industries Insurance program to reign in increasing costs. Overhaul the State Unemployment Insurance program to make it fairer. Those industries which do the vast majority of the lay offs should pay the vast majority of the premiums. Also when determining unemployment benefits shift the burden of proof to the employee that no misconduct occurred. Eliminate the Pop Syrup tax - eliminate a tax on one of the largest employers in our state, the restaurant industry. Reduce or eliminate B&O taxes.
Offer tax incentives to business which locate in low income areas. Eliminate the automatic increase in the minimum wage. Health Care reform will bring more health care jobs to this area, which are higher paying than the average.
EDUCATION
Our children are our future. A investment in education is an investment in the future of this state and this nation. We must strive to provide the best education possible for our children. We must hold teachers and students accountable for their learning, while still allowing school districts the flexibility to modify their teaching to fit the needs of their specific students. Require all high school students take a civics class, including teaching of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States, and the Washington State Constitution. 2/3 of American households are 3 paychecks away from bankruptcy. As a requirement for graduation all high school seniors must pass a sound financial management course. Teach the basics; math, English, science, writing skills, classic literature, while also teaching life skills relevant for today's fast paced economy. Hold children accountable for character flaws. Never allow disrespect, tardiness, and cheating to go unpunished. Also teach children some form of common etiquette class. Maintain consistency throughout the state in curriculum while allowing individual school boards the flexibility to modify as fits their needs. Education is something best left at the local level, reject all federal mandates such as "No Child Left Behind"
WELFARE REFORM
Our nation was founded in a spirit of rugged individualism. We in recent years have developed an entitlement mentality which has given rise to enormous social service costs. To help control those costs we must help those who are capable to break the chains of entitlement and provide for themselves, while maintaining a basic level of service for those who cannot help themselves. Welfare for the disabled and elderly is something that is best left to the churches and to private charities. Change takes time, we must maintaining basic service for these people while encouraging private and religious charities to take on more of the burden they should rightfully bear. Require basic accountability for all those who receive state assistance. All those on state funds must complete a financial management course. All those on food assistance must complete a nutritional course to help them to provide nutritional meals for their families. All those on state funds must be working and/or actively seeking work. Those who cannot find work should be given job training while being employed by state or city governments at minimum wage cleaning public grounds. Those on housing assistance must be held accountable for the hours they work at their jobs. I have personal experience with an employee who told housing she was only getting 15 hours per week. What she failed to mention was that she was scheduled for 30 but chose to give away shifts or go home early so she could have fun. Greater communication between departments. The same employee told the state daycare she was working full time so that she wouldn't have to pay for babysitting. Those who refuse to work - Those who are able to work a job, but for some reason can't hold a job or refuse to work should be removed from state assistance. The only exception to this is that any children in those homes should still be given medical and food assistance, but those homes must be monitored by social workers to guarantee that the children are receiving proper care. It is not the job of government to provide for people, it is the job of government to help people help themselves. "Give a man a fish, feed him for a day; Teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime."
TRANSPORTATION
Our transportation infrastructure and public transportation systems are in despite need of improvement Encourage Public Transportation Development and Innovation. Encourage Public Transportation to become more self sufficient. Explore light rail funding. Secure funding for the North-South Freeway. Expand I-90 as needed to ease traffic congestion. Work at the state level to secure funding for street upgrades.
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