I want to make sure the voices and issues of South King County are heard and represented in Olympia. We are struggling with the rising costs of housing, groceries, healthcare, and gas. As your State Senator, I will work to find solutions to lower the cost of living without raising taxes on working families. To keep our neighborhoods safe, I will do in Olympia what I’ve done on the Kent City Council- work to ensure police officers have the right tools, training, and support to do their job while still holding them accountable to the people they serve.
Costs of Living:
Like you, I have felt the impact of higher gas prices, increased grocery store bills, supply chain issues, and overall inflation in every aspect of my life. As an IT, logistics, and supply chain professional,I’m ready to go to Olympia and bring new urgency to lowering costs for basic goods and services.
Keeping Our Neighborhoods Safe:
As a Kent City Councilmember, I prioritized safe neighborhoods by funding additional police officers and providing bonuses for hardworking first responders. In the State Senate, I’ll ensure law enforcement have the tools they need to do their job while working to increase trust between officers and the communities they represent.
Increasing Housing Affordability and Reducing Homelessness:
Housing: Having affordable housing is absolutely necessary to have a healthy and thriving community. My husband, who’s a Boeing engineer, and I cannot afford to buy a house in this market. We have a supply and demand problem, families looking for homes are competing with private equity, interested in turning housing into a business, and driving up demand. On the supply side, we have a shortage of homes due to lagging construction. At the local level we need to streamline the permitting process to address zoning, and jumpstart construction to alleviate the problem. A balanced approach is required, making sure residents, builders, and local leaders are part of the conversation.
Homelessness: Homelessness is a major challenge for our region. We have to be thoughtful about solutions that provide housing while addressing concerns from residents and small businesses. We need urgency to address over 12,000 residents throughout the Puget Sound without shelter. This includes working with the state, the county, and city governments to prioritize permanent supportive housing, increased shelter space, and rental assistance to get people off the streets.
Keeping Our Taxes Low:
I’ll never forget it’s your money. It should be the job of every elected official to be accountable and transparent. I’ll ensure South King County tax dollars benefit South King County residents. Folks are struggling with rising costs of housing, groceries, and gas and now is not the time for working families to foot the bill for critical services. In Olympia, I will work to keep our taxes low and find ways to keep our community thriving in these hard times.
Championing Our Public Schools:
The past few years have been challenging for students, parents, and teachers alike. We must rededicate ourselves to providing the resources necessary to keep schools open and to help get our kids back on track. There are so many great opportunities in this region, but we must ensure students graduate, not just mastering the basics, but with the tools and skills they need to excel. The Washington constitution deems education to be the state’s paramount duty. With one kid in local public schools and two more starting soon, my priority will always be ensuring our kids have the very best educational opportunities and the schools they deserve.