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Age: 41 Occupation: Spokane County Communications Director Town of residence: Suncrest Party: Republican
What can the state do to get more affordable housing?
This is a top concern as I talk to voters from Newport to East Wenatchee. I support a free, fair, flat and open market—and will vote for and advance policies that support those principles.
1. Reduce regulations to allow our Homebuilders to do what they do best: swing hammers and build more housing.
Currently, according to SHBA, unnecessary and burdensome red tape is adding $80,000 to the cost of a new home. When Idaho has a much different business environment, new homes get built across the border instead of here in our communities. We need to get the government out of the way!
2. Streamline permitting processes, and allow counties to have more freedom to respond to local needs. Plain and simple: One-size-fits all policies modeled on Seattle and King County don’t work for our rural and frontier counties.
How should the state fund roads in light of the declining gas tax revenues?
I don’t think we are getting our fair share of state funding.
As a result, major roads and bridges that help people get to work and keep goods moving is a major issue all across our district. Many of our rural highways are aging and need more maintenance to keep up. I’d like to see more funding dedicated to maintenance and preservation.
At the same time, we have one of the highest gas taxes in the country. I don’t think people around here can afford to pay more in taxes. Gas stations are telling me they are seeing customers only buy $10, $15, or $20 dollars to get from point A to point B instead of filling up like they used to do.
I would like to see the subsidies for electric vehicles sunsetted, and that funding redirected to operations and maintenance of our roadways. I also support repealing the carbon tax, and was active in gathering signatures to get the issue placed on the ballot. I hope to assist counties seek federal funding for community projects as well.
What is your most important issue?
My top priority is supporting Law & Order. I come from a family with a long history of military and law enforcement service. I fear we have become too tolerant of an increasingly lawless society, and Olympia isn’t helping by decriminalizing drugs or handcuffing law enforcement from pursuing fleeing suspects. This session, I was encouraged to finally see some progress on these issues, particularly through citizen initiatives.
I am proud to be endorsed by numerous Veterans, Sheriffs, Prosecutors, Law Enforcement groups like WACOPS, WAFOP, and frontline police officers and deputies. I want to see tougher penalties for drug dealing, most of which is being imported to the country illegally from Mexico. I also want to see tougher penalties for repeat offenders, especially those who commit serious and violent offenses. I believe in second chances, but 3rd, 4th, 5th? I don’t think so.
Finally, I think we need to be tougher on offenders who assault police officers. These kinds of despicable acts appear to have increased in recent years, and are unacceptable. We need our prosecutors to prioritize and bring these cases forward, and judges who will hold offenders accountable.
