Editorial: Smith, Hayes for 10th District House seats

Published 1:30 am Thursday, October 13, 2016

By The Herald Editorial Board

10th Legislative District, House of Representatives

The 10th Legislative District encompasses all of Whidbey Island, Camano Island and their cities, as well as parts of south Skagit and north Snohomish counties, including the cities of Mount Vernon, La Conner and Stanwood.

Position 1

Republican Norma Smith, a Clinton resident, was appointed to her seat in 2008 and is seeking her fifth term in office. She is challenged by Libertarian Michael Scott, a Camano Island resident who works in video and film production. The editorial board was unable to contact Scott to arrange an interview.

During her time in office, Smith has shown herself as an accomplished lawmaker and representative of her district, and has focused on issues of regulation, environment, energy and technology.

Most notable during this year’s session was her work to pass legislation and shepherd creation of the Joint Center for Deployment and Research in Earth Abundant Materials. The center is tasked with finding and developing alternatives to the rare earth elements that are crucial components in cellphones, batteries, monitors, wind turbines and other technology. The problem with rare earth elements is that they can pose environmental problems during mining and disposal or are often concentrated in parts of the world experiencing political upheaval.

The center will foster a partnership among Washington State University, University of Washington and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and will be based at WSU’s North Puget Sound branch in Everett.

Smith also has worked on legislation to remove derelict marine vessels and “ghost” fishing nets and protect agriculture in her district.

Regarding education funding, Smith said she is eager to see reports and data regarding the individual funding needs of school districts so that lawmakers can better determine the level of funding that will be needed before identifying how to satisfy that need. Smith is supportive of a proposed levy swap to provide equitable funding among the state’s school districts. While the Legislature can make progress next year, she said, it’s taken 30 years for the state to put itself in this situation and will take some time to get out of it.

The Herald unreservedly endorses Smith.

Position 2

Republican Dave Hayes, of Camano Island, is seeking his third term in the House. He is challenged by Democrat Doris Brevoort, a Mount Vernon resident, who has not served in political office before, but has run for mayor and city council seats in Mount Vernon.

Brevoort recently retired from Seattle schools after 25 years a school counselor in elementary and high schools and a vocational coordinator for students with special needs. She said her experience would bring an educator’s perspective to the position. She also would seek to address issues related to mental health and family caregiving.

Brevoort said the Legislature must find sustainable and equitable funding sources not only for education, but for social services, and would seek to secure more treatment access for those with mental illness and addiction. Brevoort said she would also support legislation that addresses climate change through renewable energy and conservation.

Hayes, a deputy with the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Department, said his legislative priorities have not changed since he first ran for office: promoting jobs by reducing regulatory burdens, supporting education, promoting public safety and improving transportation.

Among the successful legislation that Hayes has proposed were bills that require those convicted of gun-related felonies to register as firearms offenders; expedited permits to speed replacement of bridges; and provided a third judge for Skagit County District Court.

Though he helped negotiate regulatory reforms in the transportation package passed in 2015, Hayes voted against it and the gas tax that funded its projects, believing that represented his district’s wishes. Hayes has been a supporter of responsive public transit, sponsoring a bill that established a planning organization for Island Transit.

Hayes says the Legislature has done well in funding education in recent years, markedly improving the per-pupil spending. Like Smith, Hayes says the report due later this year on school funding will be crucial to the Legislature’s next steps. As part of his support for education, Hayes has been critical of the unfunded mandates passed on to school districts.

Hayes merits re-election to his seat.

The endorsement for the 10th District Senate position will run in Friday’s Herald.