Legislative race a rematch of 2004
Published 9:00 pm Wednesday, November 1, 2006
There’s a rematch for voters in the 38th Legislative district.
On one side is incumbent State Rep. John McCoy, D-Tulalip. On the other is Republican challenger Kim Halvorson of Marysville.
The pair last faced off in a contentious 2004 election. This year things appear to be a little more genteel.
Both say their top priorities are reducing traffic, improving education and increasing access to affordable health care.
They both want the state to build an independent polytechnic university in north Snohomish County, and want to cut business and occupation taxes for employers that provide some level of health care coverage.
The 38th District includes Everett, parts of Marysville, the Tulalip reservation and the Snohomish Valley west of Highway 9.
Kim Halvorson
Halvorson, who owns a medical supply business, was a largely unknown candidate two years ago when she gained 46 percent of the vote, losing to McCoy by about 3,400 votes.
She said she takes issue with McCoy’s parallel careers as legislator and manager of the bustling Quil Ceda Village retail development west of I-5 in Tulalip.
Halvorson accuses him of putting the needs of the Tulalips in front of what’s good for the whole district.
“His focus has been back where his own business is at,” she said.
Specifically, Halvorson criticizes McCoy for pushing for a law last year that could have steered millions of tax dollars to the Quil Ceda Village.
The bill died in the state Senate.
She advocates more regional traffic planning and improved standards for K-12 students.
Halvorson is a fifth generation Snohomish County resident in the Priest Point area. She’s been knocking on district doors for months, she said.
“It’s going to come down to the door,” she said. “If people meet me, they’ll vote for me.”
John McCoy
McCoy, a member of the Tulalip Tribes, is the only American Indian in the Washington legislature.
McCoy, who is seeking his third term, said he always serves the whole district.
He points to $900,000 in funding that he helped bring improvements to 116th Street in Marysville.
And, he said, his vote last year for a new gas tax was intended to secure $472 million for Snohomish County road projects.
Because the state Legislature is only part time, lawmakers are allowed to keep their careers and serve the public, he said.
McCoy said his background helps bridge cultures.
For instance, last year he sponsored a bill that will require public schools to teach Washington’s tribal history. He has also been active with the proliferation of Boys &Girls Clubs on reservations across the country.
Competitive sports sponsored by the clubs bring Indian and non-Indian children together in a positive way, he said.
“There’s a whole lot of folks who think I’m doing the right thing,” McCoy said.
Reporter David Chircop: 425-339-3429 or dchircop@heraldnet.com.
38th Legislative district
Name: John McCoy, Democrat
Age: 63
Residence: Tulalip
Occupation: State Representative and general manager for Quil Ceda Village
Name: Kim Halvorson, Republican
Age: 41
Residence: Marysville
Occupation: Small-business owner
