Jobs & The Economy
Our economy has been struggling for almost a decade, and as a small business owner myself, I can say with some authority that we need to do more to support the job creators in our communities. This will mean reducing unnecessary regulations, which will make it easier for our small businesses to thrive and reducing the B&O tax, which strangles the working capital of our small businesses greatly reducing their chances of success. The government should get out of the way, not stand in the way, of our small businesses success.
Education
Our state needs to address our educational challenges without raising taxes. We need responsible leadership that will recognize potential issues, and prioritize our budget to reflect our community’s values, and our desire for local control of our community’s schools.
We need to restore parental and student choice in education, and recognize that not all students want or need to attend a traditional liberal arts college. Many students would thrive in the trades, or with technical degrees.
Finally, we need to encourage our community’s parents to take a much greater responsibility for their children’s education.
Agriculture
Much of the economic activity in Eastern Washington is either directly, or indirectly tied to our growing wine industry and supporting businesses. we should be doing more to help this industry to compete both nationally and globally, and to encourage further wine tourism and investment. We are fortunate to live in such a well percieved wine grape growing region, and we shouldn’t let this advantage wither on the vine.