State House of Representatives, 1st District (Position 1)
What’s the job?
At stake is a two-year term as a representative in the state Legislature. The 1st Legislative District, Position 1 seat covers areas of Bothell, Woodinville, Mountlake Terrace and Brier as well as portions of Lynnwood and Edmonds. The annual salary is $42,106.
Candidates in both 1st District races this year face no incumbents. That’s because Al O’Brien, who’s served in Position 1 since 1996, decided against seeking re-election. Mark Ericks, who served in Position 2, also isn’t pursuing re-election. He has been nominated by President Barack Obama to be U.S. Marshal for the Western District. The U.S. Senate has yet to confirm him.
Election Day: Aug. 17, ballots are scheduled to be mailed out July 30. The top-two vote getters will proceed to the general election in November.
Derek Stanford
Age: 39
Occupation: Director of analytics for a telecommunications company.
Hometown: Bothell
Party: Democratic
Website: http://derekstanford2010.com/
Education: Doctorate, statistics, University of Washington; M.S., mathematics, Harvey Mudd College.
Stanford priorities
In his own words: “I’ve been following political issues for a number of years and I feel like Olympia can do better than they’ve been doing in the past few sessions. I think I can bring some talents to the table in terms of my background as a statistician.” Notable: Stanford ran a small consulting business for four years.
Vince DeMiero
Age: 48
Occupation: English, journalism and film teacher at Mountlake Terrace High School
Hometown: Brier
Party affiliation: Democratic
Website: www.vincedemiero.com
Education: Edmonds Community College; masters degree in communication, Washington State University
DeMiero priorities:
Wants to ensure equal education for all children, protect existing jobs and create new ones in the region. Supports Initiative 1098, which calls for a state income tax on the wealthiest 3 percent and a 20 percent reduction in property taxes. Like to see a more complete public transit in the district.
In his own words: “My students represent a microcosm of all that’s good and all that’s bad in our economy.”
Notable: Plans to continue his teaching job if elected although he would teach the first semester and miss part of the second. The Edmonds School District and the teachers union tell him he’d be guaranteed a job upon his return.
Sandy Guinn
Age: 59
Occupation: Senior administrative assistant
Hometown: Bothell
Party: Republican
Website: sandyguinn.com
Education: Everett Community College, Central Washington State College.
Guinn priorities:
Get people back to work. Reduce taxes and regulations placed on businesses so they have the money to be competitive and hire people. Invest in education and infrastructure.
In her own words: “To repair our economy, we need to lower taxes, reduce regulations placed on businesses, invest in education and promote economic development. Let’s build our economy and get people back to work.”
Notable: Guinn served on the Bothell City Council from 1998 through 2009 and was deputy mayor from 2005-09.
Dennis Richter
Age: 59
Occupation: Electrical engineer, The Boeing Co.
Hometown: Bothell
Party affiliation: Republican
Website: richter2010.com
Education: Shoreline Community College, associate’s degree, chemical technology, 1973; University of Washington, electrical engineering, B.S., 1982
Richter priorities:
Wants to improve fiscal responsibility and accountability in government. Thinks government needs to be smaller and should only provide services it must provide. Wants to get the state out of the liquor sales business. Said the state needs to be friendlier toward business, saying the business and occupation tax and waste in the state’s Labor and Industries benefits are too costly. Every effort should be made to make sure Boeing continues to make jets in Washington.
In his own words: “What we need to do is we need to decide as citizens how much government we really want. If I make $100 a year, I will allow government to spend $6.50 or $7 of that. That’s the only way our tax dollars will be used economically.”
Notable: Richter ran an unsuccessful campaign for state senate against Rosemary McAuliffe in 2008.
Dick Lapinski
Age: 66
Occupation: Insurance agency owner
Hometown: Lynnwood
Party: Republican
Website: www.dicklapinski.com
Education: Edison Technical College, Seattle.
Lapinski priorities:
Wants the state to enter into an agreement with the state’s American Indian tribes that would allow slot machines in nontribal casinos. Said the state should layoff 3 percent of its work force and implement a two-year hiring freeze.
In his own words: Disagrees with the Legislature’s suspension of I-960, Tim Eyman’s voter-approved initiative that required a two-thirds majority vote to approve new taxes. “Basically, they just stuck their thumb in the eye of every voter in the state,” Lapinski said. “I thought those people need a time out — they need a time out of office.”
Notable: Lapinski is a big-game hunter and fisherman.
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