With the rising unemployment and the crunch on our pocket books, nothing is more important today than stabilizing our economy. The state legislature needs to do everything in its power to open markets, help small business and farmers and to get people back to work.

While some spending from the state will help the economy in the short term, the real recovery will come when government gets out of the way. We need to promote incentives and creativity. When we take unnecessary restrictions away, small private businesses will get back to restoring our economy.

The state legislature needs to do everything it can to open export markets around the world to support farmers and small business. That should be the role of government in this economy.

Within the boundary lines of the 9th District there are 37 school districts—10% of the State’s schools, two state universities, and one community college. Many have called for consolidation of small schools. Those of us who live in Eastern Washington understand that these schools are a vital part of our communities.

The roller coaster changes in funding for our state education system is damaging to our children. Consistency and alignment are the keys to a good education program. We have to fight for every dollar spent in the classroom. The
legislature cannot continue to expect positive results when they increase the requirements and underfund the outcome.

Ag production in the 9th District is valued at well over $1.2 Billion to our State. We need to respect the hard work and contribution this segment of our economy has made for decades.

Our farmers are the lifeline of the survival of this region of the state. Our water and property rights have to be protected. Access to strong money markets must be maintained. Community jobs are dependent on our ability to outlast this economy. As a farmer myself, I understand these challenges.

This is not the time to increase taxes when people are losing their jobs, their businesses, and their ability to feed their families. We need a proactive legislator who will work for jobs creation, to remove the unfair taxes on small businesses to help stimulate and protect jobs. Increased fees are simply an unexpected hidden tax.