Today I was sworn in as a freshman member of the Washington State House of Representatives representing the right and honorable people of the 36th Legislative District. The ‘heart and soul’ of Seattle–Belltown, Queen Anne, Magnolia, Ballard, Crown Hill, Loyal Heights, Sunset Hill, Fremont, Lake Union, Phinney Ridge, Greenwood and Blue Ridge. Our district includes the iconic Space Needle, Port of Seattle, Woodland Park Zoo, Discovery Park, Ballard Locks and so much more.
My legislative assistant, Matt Gasparich, and I have been working hard preparing for the 2009 Legislative Session. The committees I’ve been assigned to match my personal interests and professional background: Energy, Technology & Communications; Higher Education; Education Appropriations.
With a massive state budget deficit projected to reach north of $7 billion by the next revenue forecast in March, we really only have one major issue: How to deal with the short and long term implications of our state’s $33 billion biennial budget and a revenue system that is highly inefficient, unfair and poorly designed by any standard.
This blog is designed to connect with you not as a rhetorical one way lecture about my pet issues but as a two way, interactive, engaging communication tool in the finest tradition of web 2.0 relationships. We have among the most educated, engaged, activist and passionate legislative districts in the state of Washington. I expect the comment section as we grow in readership to be equally thoughtful and genuine. I’m asking and challenging you to engage with me in an intelligent, non patronizing and creative way that honors the people of our district and community.
Finally, we are also conducting a very real experiment. Many legislators spend literally hours per day answering emails individually, and I respect that customized approach. But emails don’t really allow for an engaging dialogue. While protecting privacy of individuals, I plan to take legitimate email questions, concerns, comments and suggestions and post answers and responses on this blog. That way everyone can see the answer to a question instead of just the one person who responded, and everyone else can make further comments. It’s worth a try. It may fail miserably but I feel an obligation to try something new.
Posted in Bills, Budget, Children and Families, Economy, Employment, Evironment, General Assistance Unemployable (GAU), Health Care, Higher Education, Homelessness, K-12 Education, Marriage Equality, Public Safety, Tax Policy, Technology, Transportation, Viaduct/Tunnel
