House, Position 1
Name: Kim Halvorson
Age: 41
Hometown: Marysville
Experience: Seventeen years of health care and biotechnology business experience; co-founder of the Tulalip Community Association; board member of United Property Owners, a national property rights group.
Top issues: Provide more health care with comprehensive tort reform, bulk purchasing of drugs for seniors, removing regulations that drive insurance carriers out of the state, and giving tax credits to small businesses that provide health care for employees; improve transportation by getting funding for a divided Highway 9 from Arlington to Bothell; and providing family-wage jobs by revising the tax structure that burdens businesses.
Fun fact: Avid fisherman who cans salmon.
Name: John McCoy
Age: 60
Hometown: Tulalip
Experience: 38th Legislative District incumbent; retired computer programmer after 20 years in the Air Force; 12 years senior implementation manager for Unisys Corp., delivering mainframe computers to government customers; general manager of Quil Ceda Village.
Top issues: Help improve the economy by bringing in diverse businesses; provide access to affordable health care by letting small to medium-sized businesses pool resources for enhanced bargaining power with care providers; and improving transportation by making roads safer and investing in mass transit.
Fun fact: Loves to read Tom Clancy novels.
HOUSE, POSITION 2
Name: Erv Hoglund
Age: 66
Hometown: Everett
Experience: Active in community and church activities; managed large departments and nonprofits; small business owner in retail and rental properties; 34-year union member.
Top issues: Government accountability through performance audits by state auditor; health care reform; education accountability.
Fun fact: Cooks a Croatian recipe of red meat sauce over pasta.
Name: Mike Sells
Age: 59
Hometown: Everett
Experience: Secretary-treasurer, Snohomish County Labor Council; commissioner, Everett Housing Authority; trustee, Central Washington University; board member, Economic Development Council of Snohomish County.
Top issues: Money to reduce class sizes and increase teacher salaries; more funding for transportation projects; universal health care coverage and expanded prescription drug coverage.
Fun fact: Has collected 4,000 license plates.
SENATE
Name: Jean Berkey
Age: 66
Hometown: Everett
Experience: State senator for one year; state representative for three years; Everett Community College trustee for five years; in private business 20 years.
Top issues: Transportation: We need to continue pressing for congestion relief. Education: We need better funding and more accountability; Economic development: We need to diversify and create good jobs.
Fun fact: She’s a rock hound.
Name: Tim Hanley
Age: 44
Hometown: Marysville
Experience: Owns three small businesses; 25 years working in large organizational settings; lived in many other states and countries; proven experience solving complex problems.
Top issues: Improve the business climate by implementing serious tax and regulatory reforms; fix the region’s transportation problems with practical solutions.
Fun fact: Beagle dog honks the car horn after five minutes at the grocery store.
Halvorson: I have spent over 17 years working in health care and will use my experience to make sure health care is affordable and accessible. We need to provide tax credits for businesses providing health care, promote competitive insurance rates, allow the state to purchase prescription drugs in bulk and eliminate frivolous lawsuits.
McCoy: I voted for legislation to re-import FDA-approved drugs from Canada. I supported legislation that would have helped more low-income seniors qualify for prescription drug coverage. We’ll continueto create incentives for businesses to provide health care for their employees, andare looking for other solutions to this crisis.
Hoglund: I lost my doctor to another state because of high medical insurance costs. We need medical tort reform to permit our physicians to practice their profession. Medical insurance regulations need revision so more medical insurance companies return to our state, creating competition and lowering health insurance costs.
Sells: Bulk buying of drugs by the state, working to get large companies like Wal-Mart to provide better health care coverage, and working with insurance companies to bring hospital administrative costs down through the use of technology are all part of the solution.
Berkey: We should develop programs that use the buying power of the state to make health care insurance and drugs more affordable. We shouldn’t have to go to Canada to buy drugs. We should be able to buy them right here.
Hanley: The state of Washington desperately needs to implement tort reform and real insurance reform. It’s time we got the trial lawyers and insurance companies out of our back pockets. Those are the two main industries driving up health care costs.
Halvorson: We need to address transportation from a scientific perspective rather than always relying on bureaucracy. Our demand centers must be taken care of with a comprehensive approach rather than a bunch of quick fixes. Our current gas tax should be spent where it is supposed to spent, like fixing our roads.
McCoy: I’ve helped secure over $300 million for local projects, and we’ve identified $3 billion in transportation projects that are needed.We will prioritize the list and use federal, state and local monies to finance the projects. In some cases, private dollars may be used.
Hoglund: A 4 percent increase in highway miles and major arterials along the I-405 and I-5 corridor, opening bottlenecks and completing highway construction programs would reduce traffic congestion by 25 percent. Completing a comprehensive performance audit of the Transportation Department. An increase in the gas tax may be required for specific road projects.
Sells: Lane expansion on I-5 from Eastmont north, and better on and off access is needed. Providing and marketing more commuter train runs would also help. I prefer economic growth to bring the increased revenues to pay for transportation needs.
Berkey: We have already taken major steps to relieve some congestion, but we still have a major problem. We need to continue to make sure our transportation priorities, including mass transit, are correct. The funding will come from the gas tax.
Hanley: We need to put our resources into building an infrastructure that will effectively and efficiently move people and their cars. We are wasting time and money building a mass transit system that will not solve congestion. I suggest we take a lesson from other states that have built private toll roads at strategic locations as a funding mechanism.
What do you think of a state income tax?
Halvorson: I do not support a state income tax. Washington already has high sales and property taxes.
McCoy: I support any tax structure that the people of Washington support, and at this time they are not calling for it.
Hoglund: I am not in favor of a state income tax. Comparing Oregon, which has an income tax but no sales tax, with our state during the recent economic downturn, our state out-performed Oregon in generating tax revenue.
Sells: Implementing a state income tax will have to come from the people. The only way I would support it is with a lowering of property and sales taxes. Whatever taxing method we use, the ability of citizens to pay will be determined by the growth of family-wage jobs.
Berkey: I do not support a state income tax. We need major reform of our tax policy to make it more fair and to stabilize revenue. I would consider an income tax if it were part of a major policy overhaul that was revenue neutral and more fair.
Hanley: I would consider a state income tax provided that we look at all of our taxes as a package deal, then delivering to the public and business community a reformed tax system that is fair, equitable and sustaining.
What can the state do to attract more businesses, particularly those that provide family-wage jobs?
Halvorson: In order to build and attract quality jobs to our state, the business climate must first be improved. Washington has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country. I am committed to reforming state policies so that businesses can provide family wage jobs and health care.
McCoy: We should provide incentives to attract new and innovative businesses along the lines of the cluster technologies such as aerospace and wafer tech.
Hoglund: By making our state more business friendly. Currently, regulations placed on businesses force the outsourcing of jobs to other states. To be competitive, we must review and revise our business regulations and taxing policies. Small businesses must have the ability to succeed and to provide family-wage jobs.
Sells: Improving our ability to move goods, people and services more efficiently, and reforming B&O taxes needs to be done. Faster permitting with elimination of redundant approvals would help. Making sure we have quality schools and work-force training available is a necessity.
Berkey: We need major changes in business and occupation tax policy, and we need to make our state and local governments more user friendly. For example, I am convinced our state and local governments could substantially reduce paperwork and other burdens on business without impacting the ability of government to function.
Hanley: Real tax reform that would include eliminating or reducing the burden of the B&O tax on all business that would reflect a tax on profits, not gross revenue. The tax is patently unfair and should be restructured, or repealed altogether. Also, we need real regulatory reform that would reduce the cost of doing business in this state.
Halvorson: Commercial flights at Paine Field may be necessary in the future, and we should keep all options open. I do not believe we currently have the demand or population density to warrant commercial flights at Paine Field.
McCoy: One of my main priorities is diversifying the economic base in the 38th District, and this is one avenue that needs to be explored.I have not made up my mind on this issue, but I will research it and come to an informed decision with all the parties involved.
Hoglund: Paine Field is a suitable field for commercial air operations. To begin operations, the air carrier must expect their air operations will not lose money or require a subsidy from government before beginning service. I would not support an airline subsidy to bring air service to Paine Field.
Sells: Commercial flights will depend on whether or not airlines think there is a market here. The jobs provided by such a development would be an asset to the community. However, we will need to make sure that, whatever happens, the concerns of local residents are addressed.
Berkey: I am opposed. I do not believe Paine Field is a workable location for commercial flights because of the impact on neighbors.
Hanley: I think we need to operate commercial flights out of Paine Field. It would help improve our business climate by saving time, money and congestion on our roadways.
Do you think the state should increase spending on primary, secondary and college education? If so, how?
Halvorson: Education is the long-term foundation of our community. I am committed to providing educators with the resources necessary to succeed. This may require devoting a larger portion of the budget to education. We should also look into the possibility of bringing a state university to our district.
McCoy: Education is important for jobs we have now and for economic development. I want to make sure we make investments inK-12 and early childhood education.My priorities are small class sizes, great classroom resources and rewards for good teachers.There should be a place for kids in state colleges.I’ve fought for worker retraining programs.
Hoglund: I am uncertain that spending should be increased with our looming budget deficit. K-12 and post high school education takes approximately 52 percent of the general fund budget. With 52 percent of school district dollars going into the classroom, classrooms need to receive a larger percentage of education dollars.
Sells: Yes, the Legislature has not honored the passage of Initiatives 728 and 732. Qualified students are being turned away at our universities. We need to grow the economy, raise taxes or cut in other areas to get needed revenue. Initiative 884 may help; job growth should be our priority.
Berkey: I believe schools are one of our top priorities and underfunding is a serious problem. We need to adopt the Education Trust Fund Initiative I-884 in this election.
Hanley: I think the public spends enough already on education on all fronts. We need to consider other alternatives to education problems rather than simply throwing more money at a very complex and systemic problem within our education system.
Would you support the state offering tax breaks or other concessions to attract a NASCAR track, and why?
Halvorson: NASCAR could be a great addition for Snohomish County if handled correctly. The state will benefit from this track, but we need to make sure the expense is not covered by the county alone. Improvements in our infrastructure will have to be addressed.
McCoy: I have supported cluster technologies (aerospace, wafer tech) which provide for incentives for new businesses to relocate to the state, and this sports venue does diversify the tourism base.However,I have to be assured that all the infrastructure projects needed to support the region with or without the track must be met.
Hoglund: I do not support putting our taxpayers in hock for large amount of taxes to build the track. If NASCAR investment is substantial for track construction and a satisfactory bonding program is proposed, then I may support it. Also, the infrastructure plan must accommodate peak traffic periods.
Sells: NASCAR can be an economic asset to the area. It could help move up some traffic and environmental mitigation, and provide needed ball fields. I support incentives that will provide jobs, pay for themselves over time, and help net revenue to the state and county, while addressing residents’ concerns.
Berkey: I believe a NASCAR track can be a great asset to our county, but will wait for specific proposals before I decide to support anything. I think a public-private partnership is good because it gives local government an opportunity to own part of the facility, but it must be a partnership that will be successful for all partners.
Hanley: I like the idea of NASCAR coming to the Northwest, and I live just a few miles from where the proposed track would be built. I will not support the idea of offering tax breaks or other concessions to NASCAR when the state is facing a $1.2 billion deficit. Let NASCAR pay its own way if the sport is so wildly popular and profitable.
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