Your Vote Impacts LWSD Students
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This special-edition newsletter focuses on election issues important in LWSD and education. We interviewed legislative candidates in the 45th, 48th and 1st Legislative Districts and included information on relevant ballot measures. We are thankful to the candidates for their participation and their thoughtful responses.
While each candidate approaches the students' and district's needs differently, there is a thread that ties them all together - the desire to improve education in Washington state.
The election is fast approaching and your vote matters. These races can come down to just a handful of votes. Please vote by Nov. 6th!
Thank you!
VP of Advocacy for LWPTSA Council
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Legislative Candidate Q&As
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Do you have burning questions about education? Our candidates responded to questions on why they are running for office, school construction bonds, funding education, and closing the opportunity gap.
Every candidate was given the same set of questions to respond to and the Q&As are their complete responses. All legislative candidates running for election in the 45th, 48th and 1st Districts were invited to participate. The LWPTSA Council is a non-partisan organization and does not endorse candidates.
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Sen. Manka Dhingra
Candidate for the WA State Senate
45th Legislative District
"I chose to run for office for the first-time last year, because I saw a need for new representation in Olympia. A need for elected officials that have firsthand experience in addressing the real problems we are dealing with as a state—Education, mental health, criminal justice etc. After my election last year, we were able to break through the gridlock—passing over 300 bills with 98% receiving bipartisan support. We made progress on commonsense gun reform, mental health, and education."
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Sen. Patty Kuderer
Candidate for the WA State Senate
48th Legislative District
"Public education is what drove me to run for office in the first place. Washington’s Supreme Court ruled that we were not meeting our duty of funding basic education and, for years, nothing changed. After a long history of volunteering in our schools and with PTSA’s, I felt it was time to take things to the next level and go to Olympia to fight for our schools. Now, we have satisfied the Supreme Court’s ruling but still have a long way to go on education, including ensuring adequate funding for special education, lowering class sizes, building more schools, and ensuring that our teachers have the technology, tools, and support they need in the classroom."
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Rodney Tom
Candidate for the WA State Senate
48th Legislative District
"I’m running for the State Senate for two main reasons: to advocate for education reforms; and to keep your taxes in check. As your Senator, I led the effort to fully fund education, resulting in an additional $9 billion for our schools since 2011. In 2005, education comprised only 38% of the state budget, next year it’s projected to be at 51.6%, in part to my leadership. But without reforms, this additional money won’t get our students to the high standards demanded in a high tech, global economy. I’ll work to enact reforms that put the best teachers and technology, in every classroom."
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Mayor Amy Walen
Candidate for WA House of Representatives
48th Legislative District, Position 2
"Our dynamic, growing region needs experienced leadership to address school funding, housing affordability, advocate for environmental protections, and keep our kids and communities safe from gun violence. I am a very strong supporter of common-sense gun laws and it is one of the reasons I have decided to run for State House. One of my top priorities is keeping our students safe from gun violence and investing in proven mental health and addiction services. Like many people, I am inspired by the Parkland students and applaud their courage for marching for their lives and leading the way in the movement for common-sense gun laws. As Mayor of Kirkland, I have come to realize that there is only so much cities, counties, and school districts can do. Common sense gun laws (like many laws) need to be enacted at the state level, which is why I have decided to advance my local and regional leadership and run for State Representative."
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Rep. Shelley Kloba
Candidate for the WA House of Representatives
1st Legislative District, Position 2
"When my daughter started kindergarten, like many parents, I joined the PTA at her school. As I got involved, it was the legislative advocacy piece of the PTA’s mission where I really found my home. As I learned how to advocate for children, I found myself increasingly involved in town halls, legislative forums, and communicating with legislators via email and through testimony. This experience led to other opportunities to serve my community and be a voice for kids and families in my community. I served for 4 years on the Park Board, then served 3 years on the Kirkland City Council. My advocacy work with PTA resulted in organizing Focus Day one year and being elected as the WSPTA Legislative Director in 2011. After years of training, experience, and leadership opportunities that came with my PTA service, when there was an open seat in the Legislature 2 years ago, I jumped at the chance to be on the other side of the table."
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Debra Blodgett
Candidate for the WA House of Representatives
1st Legislative District, Position 2
"I decided to run for office because the hard-working people of Washington state are being overburdened with more and more taxes. The idea of having a capital gains tax is a gateway for an income tax. Governor Inslee insists that a capital gains tax is an excise tax, but in fact, pursuant to the terms of the Internal Revenue Tax, a capital gains tax is an income tax. Semantics cannot pull the wool over everyone's eyes. We are at a precipice in our state of becoming the highest taxed state in the country. If we continue down this road we won't be able to afford to live here. Many of our hard-working families are already being forced from their homes from excessive property taxes. When is enough, enough?"
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Rep. Derek Stanford
Candidate for the WA House of Representatives
1st Legislative District, Position 1
"I am driven by a desire to create a world where everyone has the opportunity to learn and grow, where everyone can find justice, and where our communities are safe and vibrant. In the legislature I have worked extensively for full funding for K-12 education, worker safety and rights, and consumer protection."
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At the LWPTSA Council meeting on Oct. 4, membership overwhelmingly voted to endorse and support ballot initiative 1639. LWPTSA Council rarely endorses ballot measures, other than the LWSD bond and levies, but after strong member feedback the Council opted to move forward.
I-1639-Safe Schools, Safe Communities Overview:
- Raise the minimum purchase age to 21 for all semi-automatic weapons.
- Create an Enhanced Background Check at the time of purchase.
- Dangerous Access Prevention (safe storage).
- Ensure continued eligibility to possess or purchase an assault weapon.
- Require informed consent at the point of purchase about the inherent risks associated with the presence of a firearm in the home.
- Establish a waiting period up to 10 days for the purchase of an assault weapon.
For more information on I-1639 visit the campaign page
here
.
For full text of the ballot initiative click
here.
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Kirkland's Proposition 1
Proposition 1 would fund enhanced police services and community safety. If approved, this proposition would increase the sales and use tax rate by one-tenth of one percent (0.1%) to provide ongoing funding for public safety purposes permitted under RCW 82.14.450, planned to include additional police officers, school resource officers in Kirkland middle schools, after school programs and expanded mental health and human services programs focusing on gun safety, homelessness, domestic violence, suicide prevention, and related public safety issues. The increase would become effective in 2019.
How would Proposition 1 impact LWSD?
It would create parity across LWSD for SRO coverage at high schools and middle schools.
Click
here for the WA Voter's Guide information.
Note: LWPTSA Council is providing this as information and did not vote on whether to endorse Proposition 1.
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The
Lake Washington PTSA Council serves the local PTAs & PTSAs within the Lake Washington School District, in the cities of Kirkland, Redmond, Woodinville, Bellevue and Sammamish. Lake Washington PTSA Council is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to child advocacy in the state of Washington. Lake Washington PTSA Council is part of Washington State PTA and National PTA. As the largest grassroots child advocacy organization in the United States, PTA has been dedicated to the welfare of all children for over 100 years.
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