Everett, Wash.
Published: Wednesday, September 24, 2008

HERALD ENDORSEMENTS

Re-elect Liias, Roberts in south county district

 If you think the Legislature could use a more youthful perspective, look no further than the 21st District in south Snohomish County, where 27-year-old Marko Liias and 19-year-old Andrew Funk are vying for Position 2.

We endorse Liias, a Democrat who was appointed last year to fill the seat after Brian Sullivan left to join the Snohomish County Council. Liias, like Funk, was an impressive young candidate the first time he ran for office, winning our endorsement in a bid for a spot on the Mukilteo School Board in 2003. He still is, and with one session already under his belt -- after two years on the Mukilteo City Council -- Liias has political experience to complement his clear thinking and good ideas.

He's on the House Education Committee, where he'll champion high standards and accountability, but also prudent changes to the WASL -- like administering it in the fall rather than the spring, so effective intervention can take place during the same school year. He's also a strong proponent of bringing a technology-oriented four-year public university campus to Everett.

We think Liias has the intelligence, commitment and self-confidence to become an outstanding lawmaker.

Funk, a Republican who is attending Central Washington University through Edmonds Community College, is impressive too, but some of his ideas haven't been thought out well enough. To boost gas-tax revenues that have fallen since fuel prices rose, he proposes lowering the gas tax to encourage more driving. That would just make carbon emissions and congestion worse. He also favors charter schools (so have we), but since voters have rejected the idea three times, it's not a very viable idea.

Still, we're glad he decided to get his political feet wet, and hope he'll look for ways to stay involved if he doesn't win this time.

In the race for Position 1, we favor two-term incumbent Mary Helen Roberts, who offers much more experience and political know-how than her challenger, Republican newcomer Brian Travis.

Roberts is a passionate advocate for children's issues and for higher education (she previously served as a trustee for Edmonds Community College). She's also a former House Appropriations Committee analyst, so she understands the nuances of budget issues, which will come in handy with the state likely facing a multi-billion-dollar shortfall.

Travis, currently a precinct committee officer, is a congenial fellow whose priorities include creating a $50,000 homestead exemption to lower property taxes, saving gasoline by reintroducing the 55 mph speed limit and getting the state out of efforts to reduce human-aided climate change, which he believes doesn't exist. The first two ideas may have merit, but on the third, we think he's divorced from reality.
© 2009The Daily Herald Co., Everett, WA