Issues
Job Growth & Economic Development
My top priority is to empower our small businesses to succeed. Jobs will be created in the Clark County/Cowlitz County area when our State government cuts taxes and loosens the burdensome regulations, which are placing a stranglehold on economic growth. Our community will see resurgence in economic activity when unfunded mandates from the State are eliminated and our cities and counties are allowed to make policy according to what is best for their respective business communities. North Clark County, East Clark County and Cowlitz County, each have unique economic needs that can only be met through a team effort that places economic control in the hands of those who create jobs. As an entrepreneur and owner of a business that has created jobs in the midst of this recession, you can bet that I understand this fully. In other words, I am one of you and you can count on me to take this very seriously.
Healthcare
As the owner of an urgent and family care clinic, my top concern is that healthcare is accessible and affordable to every person in our area. However, Medicaid has turned into just another welfare program, layered in bureaucracy, instead of a way to help the poor in our communities to receive healthcare. Only by streamlining Medicaid, through easy submission of claims and vastly improving medical provider reimbursement rates, will we see more efficiency and higher quality care. I submit that only through real healthcare reform; that would contain lawsuit (Tort) reform, individualized healthcare plans, and across-state-border insurance competition; will we see lower costs for all of us.
Transportation
The Olympia-to-Seattle corridor siphons our transportation dollars to the north instead of sending this money home for us to invest in our communities. In North Clark County, including Woodland, we are in need of major transportation projects to improve connectivity within and between cities which will dramatically increase economic growth. In East Clark County, we continue to wait for the State to start the construction for Hwy 14 improvements. This project was promised and approved by our legislative delegation in 2005. However, the Governor and the State bureaucracy continues to drag out the process, increasing costs and forcing the DOT to go back and cut items from the originally approved project, due to the delays. I will work with our State delegation to clearly communicate that we want our transportation money back from Olympia, to invest in meeting the needs of our area.
My top priority is to empower our small businesses to succeed. Jobs will be created in the Clark County/Cowlitz County area when our State government cuts taxes and loosens the burdensome regulations, which are placing a stranglehold on economic growth. Our community will see resurgence in economic activity when unfunded mandates from the State are eliminated and our cities and counties are allowed to make policy according to what is best for their respective business communities. North Clark County, East Clark County and Cowlitz County, each have unique economic needs that can only be met through a team effort that places economic control in the hands of those who create jobs. As an entrepreneur and owner of a business that has created jobs in the midst of this recession, you can bet that I understand this fully. In other words, I am one of you and you can count on me to take this very seriously.
Healthcare
As the owner of an urgent and family care clinic, my top concern is that healthcare is accessible and affordable to every person in our area. However, Medicaid has turned into just another welfare program, layered in bureaucracy, instead of a way to help the poor in our communities to receive healthcare. Only by streamlining Medicaid, through easy submission of claims and vastly improving medical provider reimbursement rates, will we see more efficiency and higher quality care. I submit that only through real healthcare reform; that would contain lawsuit (Tort) reform, individualized healthcare plans, and across-state-border insurance competition; will we see lower costs for all of us.
Transportation
The Olympia-to-Seattle corridor siphons our transportation dollars to the north instead of sending this money home for us to invest in our communities. In North Clark County, including Woodland, we are in need of major transportation projects to improve connectivity within and between cities which will dramatically increase economic growth. In East Clark County, we continue to wait for the State to start the construction for Hwy 14 improvements. This project was promised and approved by our legislative delegation in 2005. However, the Governor and the State bureaucracy continues to drag out the process, increasing costs and forcing the DOT to go back and cut items from the originally approved project, due to the delays. I will work with our State delegation to clearly communicate that we want our transportation money back from Olympia, to invest in meeting the needs of our area.