Upholding Fiscal Responsibility:
I have fought any attempt to raise taxes or to create a state income tax. Our government has a spending problem, not a revenue problem. The businesses and people of this state pay too much of their hard-earned incomes in taxes as it is. Working families, retirees, property owners and job providers cannot thrive when they are over-regulated, overtaxed, and simply overwhelmed by overgrown bureaucracies and giveaway programs. As your State Representative, I fought the effort to overturn the will of the people as expressed in Initiative 960, which was passed (overwhelmingly in the 2nd District) in 2007, and I will continue to work to cut property taxes, B & O taxes, and estate (death) taxes.
Under current leadership, spending has spiraled way out of control. Specifically, since 1985, the budget has increased over 400 %, while the population has increased only 50 %. This is because the entire surplus from taxes, fees and regulations, due to an uptick in the economy, has been used up for unnecessary new programs, and not on the priorities of government. With the economy now in recession, deficits are mounting quickly. It has already been projected by the state Treasurer that the state will run out of money before 2011, leading to an explosion in the budget deficit. This pattern of wasteful spending must be stopped, but it will not be stopped until the leadership in Olympia is changed, because the majority party controls the budget and spending.
Staying Tough on Crime:
“Crime is an ever-present threat to our families, communities, and the very stability of society. Moral and political failure are responsible for injustices such as repeat offenders often escaping punishment through the leniency of our judicial process. I want to put an end to liberal soft-on-crime policies that have left us unprotected. I co-sponsored a bill that put pseudoephedrines, a key ingredient of meth, behind store counters making it much more difficult for meth to be produced. Since that time, the number of meth labs in the state has been cut by over 80%. I have also supported legislation, like Jessica’s Law, that created tougher penalties for sex offenders, and pushed for GPS monitoring of sex offenders as well. In the 2010 session, we took a good step forward by passing HJR 4220, which put an amendment to the state Constitution on the ballot to give judges discretion to deny bail to people charged with crimes, as long as keeping them in jail will ensure public safety. This was in response to the much-publicized shooting of 4 police officers in nearby Lakewood. Those who engage in criminal behavior must know that they will receive swift, sure and meaningful punishment that meets their crime. No criminal should escape the consequences of their crime by legal maneuvering or technicalities. I will continue to work for tougher sentencing, prison reform and juvenile justice reforms.
Providing for Quality Education:
Education is rightly considered the paramount duty of the state. Our budgets should follow state Constitutional mandates and fund education first. Far too many students continue to graduate without learning how to read efficiently, and are then being forced to take remedial classes in other subjects in order to be able to keep up in college. Education needs to be under more local control and less state control, with a focus on higher standards. We must pursue policies that will empower parents to find and take advantage of the very best education for their children. Too many state and federal mandates are stifling our teachers’ ability to impart vital knowledge to our children. In 2010, we were able to remove some unnecessary mandates. There is also a great need for more school buildings to reduce overcrowding and large class sizes. While on the Capital Budget committee, I worked for more funding to build more schools to meet this goal. I have worked to secure over $10 million in funding for the Pierce County Skills Center, which will provide comprehensive technical education for high school students to prepare them for advanced programs, and help more students graduate well-equipped for life.
Improving Transportation:
The Puget Sound region suffers from heavy traffic congestion. One of my main priorities is improving the traffic flow on our roads. I will continue to work for funding and action on important projects such as Highway 162 between Orting and Sumner, the Cross-Base Highway and the Yelm Bypass. Some recent local projects that I have secured funding for include lights at 304th and Mountain Highway and also where Hwy 702 meets Mountain Highway. I will also push for improvements to our state highways so we can begin to ease some of the gridlock that occurs throughout the 2nd District and the surrounding areas. (Using only existing funds—no new taxes needed!)
Protecting Private Property:
I believe free access to public lands for recreation should be protected, and I will work to keep management of fish and game at the state and local level. I will fight federal encroachments in this area. I will do everything I can to guard against abuse of eminent domain and the buying up of land for purposes that serve little good. I fought against the taking of Washington’s lands for such purposes, and will continue to fight such abusive public land use policies. I also fought legislation to force metering of private wells and encroach on people’s water rights
Assisting Veterans and Seniors:
We are all indebted in some way to our veterans and senior citizens. Because they have worked and fought to preserve our way of life so that we may continue to enjoy it, we should do what it takes to enable them to enjoy these years of their lives to the fullest. We should give them protection from burdensome taxes, especially for those on fixed incomes, and ensure that they have adequate funding assistance, particularly for nursing homes and adult home care. I fought oppressive measures such as a proposed RV tax, and will continue to work to make life easier for seniors. As the son of a World War II veteran, I have a deep appreciation for the work our servicemen have done to protect our freedoms. In 2006, I introduced HB 2471 which gives funding assistance to veterans who are purchasing homes for the first time. It passed both houses unanimously and was signed into law by the governor. I have also sponsored bills for tuition waivers for higher education and property tax exemptions for disabled veterans. In another bill I sponsored, HB 1876, money can be raised for a special fund to house disabled veterans by major stores on holidays like Veterans’ Day. It was signed into law by the governor on March 17, 2010. The Orting Soldiers’ Home Garfield Building, in another bill I sponsored, will be restored by using private funding, to house homeless veterans and for treating veterans who have experience brain trauma in the service.
Safeguarding the Second Amendment:
I am endorsed by the National Rifle Association, and have been endorsed by Second Amendment rights groups every time I have run for office. I am committed to fighting for your Second Amendment rights and will do all I can to protect honest, law-abiding citizens from infringement upon this core right.
Responsibly Using the Environment:
Man’s stewardship of the environment is a sacred trust; any abuse of the environment is an affront to that trust. Government does play an important role in protecting the environment from misuse and abuse. I believe that plans to protect the environment must recognize that mankind, too, is a part of the environment and has a right and responsibility to use and develop the earth’s resources for the betterment of all. While protection of the environment is very important, we must also take care not to sacrifice the fundamental rights of the people in the process.
Strengthening the Family:
Families are the building blocks of society. Our nation has become as great as it is because we have had policies in place that support and strengthen the traditional family unit and marriage. I will continue to be a strong advocate for families, and fight any attempts to redefine and weaken marriage and the family.
I have fought any attempt to raise taxes or to create a state income tax. Our government has a spending problem, not a revenue problem. The businesses and people of this state pay too much of their hard-earned incomes in taxes as it is. Working families, retirees, property owners and job providers cannot thrive when they are over-regulated, overtaxed, and simply overwhelmed by overgrown bureaucracies and giveaway programs. As your State Representative, I fought the effort to overturn the will of the people as expressed in Initiative 960, which was passed (overwhelmingly in the 2nd District) in 2007, and I will continue to work to cut property taxes, B & O taxes, and estate (death) taxes.
Under current leadership, spending has spiraled way out of control. Specifically, since 1985, the budget has increased over 400 %, while the population has increased only 50 %. This is because the entire surplus from taxes, fees and regulations, due to an uptick in the economy, has been used up for unnecessary new programs, and not on the priorities of government. With the economy now in recession, deficits are mounting quickly. It has already been projected by the state Treasurer that the state will run out of money before 2011, leading to an explosion in the budget deficit. This pattern of wasteful spending must be stopped, but it will not be stopped until the leadership in Olympia is changed, because the majority party controls the budget and spending.
Staying Tough on Crime:
“Crime is an ever-present threat to our families, communities, and the very stability of society. Moral and political failure are responsible for injustices such as repeat offenders often escaping punishment through the leniency of our judicial process. I want to put an end to liberal soft-on-crime policies that have left us unprotected. I co-sponsored a bill that put pseudoephedrines, a key ingredient of meth, behind store counters making it much more difficult for meth to be produced. Since that time, the number of meth labs in the state has been cut by over 80%. I have also supported legislation, like Jessica’s Law, that created tougher penalties for sex offenders, and pushed for GPS monitoring of sex offenders as well. In the 2010 session, we took a good step forward by passing HJR 4220, which put an amendment to the state Constitution on the ballot to give judges discretion to deny bail to people charged with crimes, as long as keeping them in jail will ensure public safety. This was in response to the much-publicized shooting of 4 police officers in nearby Lakewood. Those who engage in criminal behavior must know that they will receive swift, sure and meaningful punishment that meets their crime. No criminal should escape the consequences of their crime by legal maneuvering or technicalities. I will continue to work for tougher sentencing, prison reform and juvenile justice reforms.
Providing for Quality Education:
Education is rightly considered the paramount duty of the state. Our budgets should follow state Constitutional mandates and fund education first. Far too many students continue to graduate without learning how to read efficiently, and are then being forced to take remedial classes in other subjects in order to be able to keep up in college. Education needs to be under more local control and less state control, with a focus on higher standards. We must pursue policies that will empower parents to find and take advantage of the very best education for their children. Too many state and federal mandates are stifling our teachers’ ability to impart vital knowledge to our children. In 2010, we were able to remove some unnecessary mandates. There is also a great need for more school buildings to reduce overcrowding and large class sizes. While on the Capital Budget committee, I worked for more funding to build more schools to meet this goal. I have worked to secure over $10 million in funding for the Pierce County Skills Center, which will provide comprehensive technical education for high school students to prepare them for advanced programs, and help more students graduate well-equipped for life.
Improving Transportation:
The Puget Sound region suffers from heavy traffic congestion. One of my main priorities is improving the traffic flow on our roads. I will continue to work for funding and action on important projects such as Highway 162 between Orting and Sumner, the Cross-Base Highway and the Yelm Bypass. Some recent local projects that I have secured funding for include lights at 304th and Mountain Highway and also where Hwy 702 meets Mountain Highway. I will also push for improvements to our state highways so we can begin to ease some of the gridlock that occurs throughout the 2nd District and the surrounding areas. (Using only existing funds—no new taxes needed!)
Protecting Private Property:
I believe free access to public lands for recreation should be protected, and I will work to keep management of fish and game at the state and local level. I will fight federal encroachments in this area. I will do everything I can to guard against abuse of eminent domain and the buying up of land for purposes that serve little good. I fought against the taking of Washington’s lands for such purposes, and will continue to fight such abusive public land use policies. I also fought legislation to force metering of private wells and encroach on people’s water rights
Assisting Veterans and Seniors:
We are all indebted in some way to our veterans and senior citizens. Because they have worked and fought to preserve our way of life so that we may continue to enjoy it, we should do what it takes to enable them to enjoy these years of their lives to the fullest. We should give them protection from burdensome taxes, especially for those on fixed incomes, and ensure that they have adequate funding assistance, particularly for nursing homes and adult home care. I fought oppressive measures such as a proposed RV tax, and will continue to work to make life easier for seniors. As the son of a World War II veteran, I have a deep appreciation for the work our servicemen have done to protect our freedoms. In 2006, I introduced HB 2471 which gives funding assistance to veterans who are purchasing homes for the first time. It passed both houses unanimously and was signed into law by the governor. I have also sponsored bills for tuition waivers for higher education and property tax exemptions for disabled veterans. In another bill I sponsored, HB 1876, money can be raised for a special fund to house disabled veterans by major stores on holidays like Veterans’ Day. It was signed into law by the governor on March 17, 2010. The Orting Soldiers’ Home Garfield Building, in another bill I sponsored, will be restored by using private funding, to house homeless veterans and for treating veterans who have experience brain trauma in the service.
Safeguarding the Second Amendment:
I am endorsed by the National Rifle Association, and have been endorsed by Second Amendment rights groups every time I have run for office. I am committed to fighting for your Second Amendment rights and will do all I can to protect honest, law-abiding citizens from infringement upon this core right.
Responsibly Using the Environment:
Man’s stewardship of the environment is a sacred trust; any abuse of the environment is an affront to that trust. Government does play an important role in protecting the environment from misuse and abuse. I believe that plans to protect the environment must recognize that mankind, too, is a part of the environment and has a right and responsibility to use and develop the earth’s resources for the betterment of all. While protection of the environment is very important, we must also take care not to sacrifice the fundamental rights of the people in the process.
Strengthening the Family:
Families are the building blocks of society. Our nation has become as great as it is because we have had policies in place that support and strengthen the traditional family unit and marriage. I will continue to be a strong advocate for families, and fight any attempts to redefine and weaken marriage and the family.
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