Opinion / A View From The State House

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Fighting for our environment and tax credit for our farmers

As our communities face harsher climate effects including droughts, heatwaves, and floods, it is important for all of us to work together towards ensuring a healthier environment. That’s why we are dedicated to pursuing two approaches to...

 

Hope springs eternal for this local lawmaker

Nothing changes your outlook on life quite like the birth of a child. Seeing the helpless life for which you’re now responsible can be scary, but as many parents find, that gives way to excitement and optimism for what the future holds for this...

 

The problem with Progressivism

The United States was born out of conflict. Profound disagreement led to a war with tragic losses of life and property for the revolutionaries who put at stake their lives, fortunes and sacred honor. The promise of progress was worth the risk even...

 

Strengthening our democracy

Our democracy is strongest with full and equal participation in free, fair and secure elections. This means protecting your right to vote and having your vote counted. That’s why I introduced House Bill 2023, which increases language assistance in...

 

Healing our health care system

If you’ve been following my work in the state Senate, you’ve likely picked up on some themes. In all my work, I look at the state’s policy problems through a pragmatic lens of structure, discipline and accountability. But what’s the goal? In...

 
 By Ron Muzzall    Opinion    May 17, 2023

More hope and less politics

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, I wrote a column in this paper bringing attention to a different public health problem sweeping the nation. While maybe not as physically deadly, the...

 
 By Clyde Shavers    Opinion    May 17, 2023

2023 Legislative session wrap-up: Fighting for you

During the hectic, fluid and complex process of the 2023 legislative session, I wanted to keep our priorities front and center. I’ve been fighting to help our low-income and working families,...

 
 By Dave Paul    Opinion    May 17, 2023

Serious progress on serious issues this session

I’m happy to report the Legislature finished the 2023 session with a balanced budget – and excellent transportation and construction budgets that will create jobs in the 10th district and...

 
 By Dave Paul    Opinion    April 26, 2023

A tale of four bills

The 2023 legislative session ended on April 23. Over the last four months, we developed operating, transportation and capital budgets that will help our community and our state. I'll have more to say...

 

How our bills are becoming law

Our legislature reviews hundreds of proposed pieces of legislation during sessions. This year, with the help of our team, I have drafted and introduced twelve bills. Six passed the House and five...

 
 By Ron Muzzall    Opinion    April 12, 2023

Health Care: Why does it cost so much?

The facts about health care in the United States are eye opening. How can a nation that spends nearly twice as much as our economic peers still have so many problems? As the former ranking member of...

 
 By Dave Paul    Opinion    April 5, 2023

Our democracy at work

Our town hall meetings aren’t that different from what happens in the House and Senate in Olympia. People share their opinions – sometimes softly, sometimes loudly. Yet the kind of dialogue we...

 

Protecting the environment with green hydrogen

The Skagit Valley’s environment and economy has been shaped over time by changes in our climate and land use. Some of these changes have resulted in devastating impacts to our communities, including...

 
 By Ron Muzzall    Opinion    March 22, 2023

Reproductive care is more than abortion

It seems that the efforts to enshrine reproductive access in the state constitution have been aborted, as the proposed amendments from the House and Senate failed to receive a Floor vote before our...

 
 By Dave Paul    Opinion    March 15, 2023

Housing and workforce solutions

If we listen to each other with respect and work together, good things happen. I’m happy to report that we’re doing a lot of that this year in Olympia. With the legislative session at the halfway...

 
 By Clyde Shavers    Opinion    March 8, 2023

Passing student financial education and military support

As vice chair of the House Education Committee, I’ve been regularly meeting with students, teachers and administrators on every aspect of our education system. We’ve collaborated on special educat...

 
 By Ron Muzzall    Opinion    March 1, 2023

We owe it to the future

There seem to be a lot of “crises” in Olympia – a housing crisis, an opioid crisis, a public safety crisis, a climate crisis. Attaching this moniker has adverse effects on people by creating a...

 
 By Dave Paul    Opinion    February 22, 2023

Workforce, housing crisis solutions

Last month, I wrote about the workforce shortage, which is holding back our economy and critical services like healthcare. The housing crisis is intertwined with our workforce shortage. Even if a...

 

Keeping veterans and seniors in their homes

The 10th legislative district has one of the largest populations of veterans in Washington state. Island County, for example, has more veterans per capita than any other county. Between Island, Snohom...

 

Ideology not making communities safer

There are lies, dang lies and statistics, but in the debate on fixing the failed "police reform" laws from 2021, it seems that no amount of research, pleading, facts or lived experience can overcome...

 
 By Dave Paul    Opinion    February 1, 2023

Reversing work shortage: an opportunity

Here in the 10th District and throughout the state, we face challenges that affect all our families, including: • A shortage of housing. • Lack of access to healthcare. • Businesses who can't...

 

Farmland and farming community protection

Washington has a proud history of agricultural leadership. Here in Skagit County, we have one of the largest and most diverse agricultural communities west of the Cascade Mountains. Island County is...

 

We need more accountability, not less

We deserve better, even if we don't demand it. The latest findings from the Washington state auditor's office are unfortunately just a snapshot of an obscure yet growing problem in our state...

 

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