Our Priorities for Washington State

Since my appointment to this seat in 2011, we’ve made progress on a lot of important issues such as sex education, campaign finance reform, transportation, domestic abuse & sexual violence, but many issues still need attention. I represent many people who do not agree with each other or with me on these important topics, but when we treat each other with respect, great progress can be made.

This is an unprecedented time for all of us. As an elected leader at the state level I try to make the state operations that you deal with responsive and effective. Below are some of my priorities for the upcoming legislative sessions. If you have any questions, please feel free to Contact Me.

PUBLIC SAFETY

I was shocked to discover how limited our training resources were and how challenging it had become to replace retiring law enforcement officers. However, due to a robust bipartisan effort, Clark County now boasts a new Law Enforcement Training Academy. This facility enables future public safety professionals to train locally within their own community. The program has attracted numerous applicants, and the inaugural class is scheduled to graduate soon. Beyond establishing this new academy, we have also integrated mental health professionals and provided coordinated training and resources to help officers effectively manage situations involving individuals in crisis. These initiatives are vital in enhancing the safety and security of our communities.

To me, public safety encompasses well-trained law enforcement officers, attention to mental and physical health, a robust public health system, laws that adapt to emerging needs, fair compensation for challenging work, and a collaborative relationship between the public and service providers to address pressing issues… Click here to read more or leave a comment!

RACISM: OUR OBLIGATION TO HOLD ON TO PROGRESS

I want to ensure justice for everyone in our communities and avoid the repetition of past mistakes. Each generation must recognize the harm caused by racism, violence, sexism, and bullying, and our responsibility is honor our shared values. As a public figure, I am trusted to represent my community and take action to right wrongs and improve our state. I have worked to increase funding for law enforcement training and education and supported teaching the truth in our schools. Imparting knowledge and understanding you younger generations is a critical step forward.

It’s important to embrace discomfort, speak up and risk asking difficult questions. In honest conversations about racism, you’ll hear about the exhaustion, anger, feeling unheard, and frustration at the lack of progress. Together we can make our systems less disjointed and more fair. Speaking out against bullying, racism, demeaning language, and systemic racism is the right thing to do… Click here to read more or leave a comment!

TACKLING A REGRESSIVE TAX SYSTEM

Given our regressive tax system here in Washington State, I have dedicated my efforts to improving it by advocating for the Working Families Tax Credit that helps lower income families stay afloat, and supporting the implementation of a capital gains tax that helps ensure the wealthy pay their fair share. I have also taken a leadership role in property tax legislation to help lower-income families and individuals with disabilities remain in their homes. Additionally, she champions laws that empower local governments and non-profits to innovate and address the unique needs of their communities.

I have long been concerned about our tax system. While I dislike paying taxes like everyone else, I believe they are necessary to fund essential services that we all need. Our business tax system is outdated, with hundreds of tax preferences, often referred to as loopholes. Some of these adjustments are meant to mitigate the negative impacts on businesses we aim to support, while others result from strong lobbying efforts… Click here to read more or leave a comment!

MENTAL/BEHAVIORAL HEALTH

We know that homelessness and crime and addiction have left no family or community untouched and like many, I am frustrated. However, while addressing these issues we cannot repeat our mistakes of the past. We are making great improvements to our facilities and providing the community-based access to good treatment programs. It took time for things to get bad and will also take time for them to be noticeably better. I am confident that as we continue to learn more about substance abuse disorder we will continue to implement legislation and fund programs that will help us get to the other side of this crisis. What we did this session includes: HB 1956- creates a statewide drug overdose prevention and awareness campaign in K-12 schools; HB 2112- Requires higher learning institutions to provide fentanyl test strips, naloxone, and education, prevention, and awareness programs; $4.371 million in the Operating Budget for school-based prevention and intervention… Click here to read more or make a comment!

PRIVACY & CYBERCRIME

As a longtime member of the Technology and Economic Development Committee, I was part of a team that worked to find the best solutions to protect people’s personal data, take action against bad actors, and to establish boundaries on how corporations can use data. There is a divide on how to do this, but it is not a partisan divide. What I learned is that we do need laws, but many do not properly understand the issue, or believe it’s too late to change the status quo. I believe that this is an essential task, and we must find a balance that will protect consumers while not stifling innovation… Click here to leave a comment!

TECHNOLOGY & THE ARTS

Our existing and future economic health depends on an educated workforce. That means technical training as well as college and continuing training options. Our economy also needs creative people to continue our innovative leadership. A vigorous performing arts facility produces a great economic impact, and the technology sector wants creative problem solvers as well as engineers. I support the local efforts to create this asset. Talented people stay here when there is a good quality of life and good jobs, and strong companies locate here because of our quality of life, clean air and water, and our beautiful environment… Click here to leave a comment!

MY RECORD ON THE ENVIRONMENT

Early in my career I sponsored legislation to increase public safety around oil transport and was the first local elected official to take a stand against making our waterfront one of the largest oil storage facilities on the west coast. I am working hard to ensure that we take the necessary steps to ensure the health of Vancouver Lake and preserve water quality, fish habitat and the economic benefits of the sailing and crewing that helps our local businesses prosper.

As Vice-Chair of Transportation, I helped negotiate a transportation package that finishes projects in process, invests in the low carbon future, ensures freight mobility, avoids adverse impacts on vulnerable communities, and takes care of what we have more than any other package. I have worked to upgrade our rail system to provide cost effective movement of goods and worked for seven years with both Oregon legislators and Republican members to find a solution and replace the I-5 bridge. The best bridge is the one that gets built. Cutting ribbons on new projects may be nice but letting our existing infrastructure deteriorate is expensive and unwise…. Click here to read more or leave a comment!

PROGRESS ON THE I-5 BRIDGE

More than ten years ago, the then Republican State Senate killed the effort to replace the I-5 bridge. The process to get to that moment cost millions of dollars and took over 10 years.

Four women from both parties restarted the necessary work. I was one of those four women because this bridge is over one hundred years old, and is supported by ancient logs resting on mud in an earthquake subduction zone. Since the failure of the last effort, truck traffic has increased. A mega project like this involves money and commitment from both Washington and Oregon, local governments on both sides of the river and from many federal agencies. Each has complex responsibilities, and each must ask hard questions. Costs, work and traffic patterns and much more changed since the last effort. Additionally, we have committed to ensure that communities affected are considered in a way that was overlooked when the I-5 bridge was built… Click here read more to leave a comment!

AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS

Each session the legislature works closely with local communities and businesses to address the gaps in supply and access to affordable housing. Although there is a tremendous need in all of our communities, there is recognition that the reality requires a long term investment in flexible laws, supportive services such as mental health treatment and family support, jobs training and more. This crisis has been a growing problem for many years, but it is a priority both inside government and in our communities.

Although our community has stepped up to help address the need for affordable housing better than many, the need for state action and partnership continues. Some of the ways the state acted to support affordable housing this session include… Click here to read more or leave a comment!

SHARON ON CHILDCARE

All day kindergarten, Family Leave, the Cares Act, the Working Families Tax Credit, pre-school and ECAP, Breakfast Before the Bell and more. I am committed to retaining these accomplishments of our strong Democratic majority in Washington State. But we still have working families that are struggling with two incomes and no affordable childcare options.

Quality options for the children of hard working families who do not qualify for current programs are not a luxury. They are essential for a strong economy, a thriving next generation and building families that are self sufficient and secure. And we are not there yet. Other first world countries are able to support moms and kids and provide healthcare for all… Click here read more to leave a comment!

SHARON TO VOTE NO ON 3 IMPACTFUL INITIATIVES

There are three ballot initiatives this year that would have severe impacts to our state budget. They would repeal laws that I supported and that were crafted over many years. I am voting NO on all three (I-2109, I-2124, I-2117). Here is why. Our initiative process has been an important tool for our state.

As a legislature we have a choice to adopt initiatives of the people or to refer them to you for a vote. We let these go to the voters because we do not agree and believe that voters will agree when they know about why they were passed and what the benefits are to our state… Click here to read more or leave a comment!