Community Government
On the Issues | 26th District 26, Position 2 state representative candidates
Gig Harbor Now asked 26th Legislative District candidates to write answers to five election-related questions. All but Lori McPherson submitted responses. Their unedited answers appear below.
Read more about the candidates and issues in this race here.
Tiffiny Mitchell
1. What steps should the state take to combat homelessness?
This requires a multi-pronged approach that requires a comprehensive plan and collaboration with many stakeholders committed to the outcome of ending homelessness. We need to fund housing, at the scale of need, and accommodate all income levels. We need to ensure that housing includes the needed infrastructure to serve those new units — including stormwater, retail, grocery stores, and water needs. We also need to work with existing communities to ensure that housing is both inclusive in nature, but respects the existing character of our communities and environmental considerations. We need to stabilize rents statewide and ensure that our tenant protections are strong, but fair. Finally, we need to invest more heavily into mental health and substance use programs to try to help underserved populations that fall into homelessness not due to economic means.
2. How can the state of Washington increase access to treatment services for people battling addiction or mental health crises?
Only when we begin to more heavily invest in and make treatment more accessible will we start to see changes in this crisis. We see too many demands on our emergency services that are often called to deal with substance use or mental health issues. We need to make sure that the state is fully investing in these services and working with our local communities on solutions. These solutions should keep people in treatment within their own communities, where they have close access to their support systems. This means partnering with experts in mental health and substance use, and ensuring that these services are robust enough to handle the need. This includes making investments into the workforce necessary to handle the workload, ensuring we have compassionate, trained professionals ready to handle the task.
3. Do you support Initiative 2117, to repeal the Climate Commitment Act? Do you have other proposals for combatting climate change?
I do not support Initiative 2117 and urge a “no” vote. Over a billion dollars of investments have been made from CCA dollars, and repeal will result in more pollution, slash funding to protect our air, water, and land, and cut investments in transportation, from highway projects to safe routes to school for kids (ripping $1 billion from the state budget). As a former legislator in Oregon, who voted for a similar bill that ultimately did not pass, a carbon marketplace like the one created by the CCA is viewed as our last, best chance at combatting climate change in a way that creates predictability for businesses and brings us closer to our goals. False promises from the hedge fund manager bankrolling this initiative are exactly that — false. Repeal is no guarantee of lower fuel prices, and fossil fuel companies are using prices (which they largely control) as political leverage.
4. The court ordered the state to spend billions of dollars to replace culverts with the worst impacts on fish habitat by 2030. The cost is eating into the state’s ability to improve and maintain its transportation system. How can it accomplish both?
The first step is voting no on Initiative 2117. Again, the money generated by the CCA is key to funding our transportation and other important projects like replacing culverts to correct the impact on fish habitat and particularly restoring our salmon population. As the cap on pollution lowers each year (again — a predictability favored by businesses, including the Western States Petroleum Association), more money will be generated for state use on projects such as culvert replacement and other transportation projects. The best way that we can accomplish both of these priorities is to support the Climate Commitment Act.
5. What will be your top priorities if elected?
Reproductive Healthcare: We need to do everything we can to protect women’s abilities to make choices about their own bodies. We can’t assume politics in Washington won’t change. We need a state constitutional amendment, and I will champion that effort.
Education: Current funding models make school districts reliant on bonds and levies to fund education, creating an inequitable system where the education a child gets depends largely on their zip code. We need to fully fund our schools and special education, and ensure all our students get the education they deserve.
Housing: Washington is growing. We need housing that can accommodate all income levels, but we also need to ensure that housing is built responsibly, with appropriate infrastructure and resources, and supports its communities.
Healthcare: We need to better regulate all parts of this complex system for affordability and work towards a universal model.
Michelle Caldier
1. What steps should the state take to combat homelessness?
The dollars we are spending are not utilized efficiently. There are different cohorts facing homelessness and each solution should be catered to the etiology of the crises they face. For people who are mentally ill and struggle with substance abuse, we need to ensure treatment facilities and supportive housing are available and offered, but allowing this vulnerable population to die in homeless encampments is not a compassionate solution. For low wage workers who are unable to afford to live independently, I have sponsored legislation to fund home sharing. For seniors and disabled veterans living on a fixed income, I have fought for increases in property tax exemptions. For people facing hardships, we should have vouchers available for temporary support. In addition to these solutions, we need to allow builders to increase supply of housing to meet the needs of our growing population, which will reduce the cost of housing. We also need to repeal recent legislation that has passed which increased energy and food costs, making it that much for difficult for struggling families to make ends meet.
2. How can the state of Washington increase access to treatment services for people battling addiction or mental health crises?
We need to increase our reimbursements to providers and increase education slots for mental and behavioral health workforce. Most people who are mentally ill or struggle with addiction do not have funding resources and rely on taxpayer paid Medicaid. Unfortunately, the reimbursements are extremely low, and facilities cannot retain or recruit staff. In addition, the Managed Care Organizations have historically absorbed any rate increases and did not pass the rate increases to providers. I sponsored and passed HB 2584 in 2020 to prevent insurance companies from keeping those rate increases because the provider reimbursements have not kept up with rising employment costs. For people facing addiction of illegal substances, they should be given the option of treatment or incarceration. We need to ensure there are supports available at all levels for those who choose treatment. For individuals who struggle with severe mental illness, our society needs to take care of them with supportive housing and trained staff.
3. Do you support Initiative 2117, to repeal the Climate Commitment Act? Do you have other proposals for combatting climate change?
I support Initiative 2117, which would repeal the Climate Commitment Act. I did not support the Climate Commitment Act when it passed the legislature because I do not believe the public supports the increase in the gas tax or the rising energy costs. In addition, I do not believe many of the projects that the Climate Commitment Act funds actually helps the environment. For example, many of the projects are funding pedestrian walkways and bike paths. When I inquired about the nexus for these projects to improve the environment, I was informed it would get people to bike or walk to work instead of drive. I do not think this is a reality for most families, and if the public wanted to fund these projects, we should allow voters to determine if they would like to pay the additional energy and fuel costs.
Real solutions to improving the environment include requiring honesty in labeling with what is actually recyclable and education efforts to prevent the continued contamination of our recycled goods and the role that flushable wipes have played in sewage blockages and sewage spills. We also need to improve sewage infrastructure and accountability of sewage spills into our beautiful Puget Sound. Most penalties to cities and government agencies are fined around $1 per 1,000 gallons of sewage dumped into our waters. The majority party in Olympia has prevented efforts to fix this issue and instead focuses on adding bike paths and pedestrian walkways.
4. The court ordered the state to spend billions of dollars to replace culverts with the worst impacts on fish habitat by 2030. The cost is eating into the state’s ability to improve and maintain its transportation system. How can it accomplish both?
These costs should not be coming out of the Transportation Budget, which should be devoted to road and ferry infrastructure. This should be coming out of the Operating Budget instead. In addition, we should be coordinating transportation projects with replacing fish culverts. The department has prioritized replacing the fish culverts over any congestion and necessary road improvements even though many of these projects can be done concurrently, which would save tax dollars.
5. What will be your top priorities if elected?
This depends on whether the Democratic majority is able to pick up a seat this year and gain a Supermajority. They are only one vote away, and this district is one of only two swing districts left in our state. If they do achieve a Supermajority, they will not need a single Republican vote for the Transportation Budget or Capital Budget, which is one of the few negotiating powers we have left in Olympia.
Josh Smith
1. What steps should the state take to combat homelessness?
Homelessness is a rising problem in our communities. Homelessness exacerbates people’s mental health issues, which our broken healthcare system often fails to treat, and some people turn to substance abuse. This strains our emergency services and first responders. In the immediate term, we must ensure that our first responders have the resources they need to assist people experiencing homelessness.
In the long term, since research shows that the primary cause of homelessness is high housing costs, the best way to reduce homelessness is by enabling the construction of more affordable housing.
As a state legislator, I would work with our local elected leaders in Gig Harbor and elsewhere to plan for the creation of additional affordable housing and “missing middle” housing such as townhomes, condos, and duplexes. I believe we need to prioritize planned growth in core areas connected to transit and easy highway access, while protecting rural areas and preserving historical buildings and neighborhoods. In particular, I think the retail areas around Point Fosdick Drive and Borgen Boulevard could see additional development in the form of adding affordable condos and townhouses above the current parking lots, with some of the units being reserved for those with limited incomes, such as seniors in our area who would like to downsize.
2. How can the state of Washington increase access to treatment services for people battling addiction or mental health crises?
As a scientist, I support improving access to treatment programs and policies that are based on sound evidence-based principles. Providing people with access to addiction and mental health resources not only helps individuals improve their quality of life, but can also provide crucial benefits to others across society as well. For example, by reducing substance abuse in our communities, we also reduce criminal behavior, improve people’s long-term health and wellness, and even improve economic outcomes for individuals, families, and our communities.
If elected, I would rely on behavioral health experts when crafting policies on addiction and mental health treatments. I believe a key limiting factor for treatment services is their cost, so I would seek to support policies that reduce healthcare costs, increase access to care, improve quality of services, and ultimately improve outcomes for Washingtonians.
3. Do you support Initiative 2117, to repeal the Climate Commitment Act? Do you have other proposals for combatting climate change?
No, I do not support Initiative 2117. The Climate Commitment Act (CCA) is a form of taxation that only affects large companies that emit a large amount of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. These companies are currently experiencing record profits, so they can fully absorb the increased costs from the CCA out of their profits if they choose to do so. They are choosing not to both for political reasons and because of corporate greed. In any case, if the CCA was repealed, there would be no guarantee that gas prices would go down. There are alternative ways to ensure cost decreases for consumers while at the same time protecting our environment.
4. The court ordered the state to spend billions of dollars to replace culverts with the worst impacts on fish habitat by 2030. The cost is eating into the state’s ability to improve and maintain its transportation system. How can it accomplish both?
Since this fix was ordered by the court system as a way to respect tribal sovereignty and tribal treaty rights, the state is mandated to replace these culverts by 2030 at an expected cost of over 2 billion dollars. In addition, we need to prioritize local transportation projects, such as improving the on-ramps to SR 16 at the Wollochet interchange, replacing the Fox Island bridge, and improving the traffic flows in Purdy and Gorst.
Right now many of us are paying 10-14 percent of our incomes in state taxes, whereas those in the top 1 percent of income earners are only paying around 4 percent. I believe that any additional revenues for these projects should not come from the pockets of working families, but from the ultra-wealthy who are not paying their share.
5. What will be your top priorities if elected?
My first priority is removing partisan special interest and corporate money from the political process, so our representatives will prioritize voters over donors and special interests when making decisions. As an independent, I am best placed to make this happen because I am outside the entrenched two-party system and so am not limited by party loyalties or party interests.
My second priority is to address affordability. My wife and I know how difficult it can be when living expenses drastically increase while wages and incomes stay the same. I believe our state tax system should distribute our tax burden more fairly by avoiding tax breaks for large corporations and the ultra-wealthy, which would allow for a reduction of taxes and fees on both lower-income and middle class families.
My third priority is to ensure opportunity for all. To achieve this, we need to focus on a number of items, including ensuring access to quality education and childcare, providing accessibility for seniors and those with disabilities, and supporting our local small businesses.
You can find out more about my campaign and my priorities at joshforwash.com.
Rachel Harter
1. What steps should the state take to combat homelessness?
Addressing homelessness begins with compassion, encompasses the need for collaboration between government agencies, non-profit organizations, and local communities and finishes with accountability. Housing stability is also a key component to fixing homelessness, as well as programs that provide job training, mental health and substance abuse services to help individuals transition out of homelessness. In addition, the promotion of self-reliance and personal responsibility is needed to combat homelessness with accountability. Finally, we must expect more and demand accountability from those agencies that we fund to deliver these services. It is not acceptable to receive millions of taxpayer dollars and not deliver measurable results.
2. How can the state of Washington increase access to treatment services for people battling addiction or mental health crises?
Collaborating with nonprofit organizations, community groups, healthcare providers and community stakeholders can help extend the reach of treatment services and provide additional support to individuals in need. This collaboration can also help identify gaps in services and ensure that resources are effectively distributed to those who need them most. In addition, advocating for evidence-based practices in addiction treatment will help ensure that individuals receive effective and quality care with proven and successful outcomes offering a fiscally responsible approach to increasing access. Lastly, increasing the number of hospital beds for mental health is gravely needed as well as discharge sites of care to best address the need for increased and effective access to treatment services.
3. Do you support Initiative 2117, to repeal the Climate Commitment Act? Do you have other proposals for combatting climate change?
Yes, I support Initiative 2117. A closer examination of the costs and benefits of the CCA needs to be conducted to determine whether the environmental benefits justify the financial costs associated with compliance. Repealing would therefore prevent unnecessary expenditure of taxpayer funds on initiatives that may not produce significant environmental outcomes. Repealing would allow for more flexibility in developing strategies to address environmental challenges while fostering innovation and competition in the marketplace. Repealing the CCA, at large would prioritize economic considerations, limit government intervention, and protect businesses and consumers from the potential negative impacts of regulatory mandates related to climate change initiatives.
Other proposals to combat climate change would be to encourage research and development of clean energy technologies and alternative sources of energy. Investing in innovation and supporting private-sector initiatives for renewable energy production can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions while also promoting economic growth. In addition, there is the importance of individual responsibility in addressing climate change through voluntary actions and personal choices. Encouraging energy efficiency, conservation efforts, and lifestyle changes can compliment broader policy initiatives and empower individuals to contribute to environmental sustainability.
4. The court ordered the state to spend billions of dollars to replace culverts with the worst impacts on fish habitat by 2030. The cost is eating into the state’s ability to improve and maintain its transportation system. How can it accomplish both?
A new governor will help! The Department of Transportation is unresponsive and poorly managed. The legislature must demand accountability from department leadership. Missing deadlines, under-funding projects, and failing to maintain critical infrastructure should not be tolerated. The state spends billings on transportation but cannot fill pot-holes or maintain the grates on the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. This lack of proper management costs us more in the long run. With good leadership and proper management we can shave millions which will help us replace the needed culverts, protect our environment, and maintain our transportation system. The money is there, but the leadership is not. I’ll make sure we get that leadership.
5. What will be your top priorities if elected?
As a mom, I am running to protect your families and am committed to fostering a vibrant community where your children and grandchildren are educated to succeed in real life, parent’s values are respected in schools, and the achievements and rights of women are safeguarded. I am running to protect your future and champion policy where economic freedom and minimal government interference unlock the potential for every Washingtonian. By reducing burdens imposed by Olympia, I am running to ensure that entrepreneurs, workers, and small businesses thrive, directly lowering the cost of living and enhancing prosperity for all residents. Lastly, I am running to protect our state. I am dedicated to revitalizing Washington by tackling the root causes of crime, unaffordable living costs, and the erosion of core values. With a focus on tax reform, regulatory overhaul, and investing in education, my leadership promises a safer, more affordable, and prosperous future for ALL Washingtonians.