Gina Mosbrucker | National News

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1. What makes you a good candidate to represent Washington’s 14th District?

I have been blessed to serve this beautiful legislative district since 2014. Experience, hard work and dedication make me the best candidate to return to the Washington State Capital to continue to be your voice. Family Strong and over the past years — Proven Strong. My exceptional staff and I have successfully passed over 25 new laws at the request of my constituents just like you. Bills helping Veterans get jobs — YesVets; fighting animal abuse; helping domestic violence survivors; looking for missing children and tribal members; public safety fixes; stopping unwanted telephone solicitation; cybersecurity; pro-business; opioid addiction prevention and many more have passed the House of Representatives; the Senate and the Executive branch.

I have helped bring home to my district funding for wonderful Capital Budget projects, such as community center construction projects, Senior Center improvements, a domestic violence shelter, building a fire department, museum renovation and major improvement to our children’s schools plus many more. I am here to continue to serve you. I humbly ask for your vote.

2. A lack of affordable housing is a community concern throughout Klickitat County. What role do you believe the state is able to play in finding solutions, and what solutions do you support?

The affordable housing crisis is not only a concern in Klickitat County, but across our state and nation. Yes, I believe the state does need to step in and play a role in finding affordable housing for those in need, not just families, our veterans, the homeless, crisis survivors and those who are suffering from severe addiction in our streets. Can you imagine not having a warm safe place to sleep, a lock on the door, no way to protect your family & loved ones? We, as legislators, need to meet and listen to those in need of housing to discuss and learn about the barriers faced as they search for safe places. Listening sessions are often where we find answers. A few solutions we are currently working on include incentivizing builders to build new homes that are within the reach of first-time buyers, fewer non-safety related local restrictions and regulations on construction and better family friendly terms from lending companies. We can also improve financing for existing homes that need repair and focus on manufactured housing, such as modular or precut homes. .

I am of the opinion that everyone deserves a chance at this American Dream.

3. Do you support the growth of the renewable energy industry in the 14th District? Why or why not?

I believe we all want clean air and clean energy. We should be concerned for our children’s future. I do support the renewable energy industry throughout Washington State. However, I sponsored House Bill 1623 this past session, reminding the legislature that as we transition to Green Energy, we must maintain an adequate energy supply source. We not only see instability in power grids, such as California and Texas, but in Washington State also. Depending solely on intermittent renewable energy sources, will put those who use electric or natural gas at risk. We must protect those who use these and other, current energy resources, including heating/cooling their homes or to power oxygen tanks. The future leads us to green, renewable energy for a healthier tomorrow, but in the meantime we must protect the current power grid system to “keep the lights on”.

4. What are the greatest challenges the state of Washington faces going forward?

Greatest challenges in Washington State: Public Health -including our mental health/suicide rates and substance abuse addiction crisis, our physical health/sickness, the breakdown of our families, homelessness, inflation in the economy-fuel and food..., lack of affordable housing and public safety. As the Leader/Minority Ranking member on the Public Safety legislative committee, I realize we must work to heal the relationship between law enforcement and our communities. Police run into danger, as you and I run away. I am grateful for the countless hours last session of listening to and hearing community concerns. Our greatest challenges are not partisan...education, crime, public health, homelessness... Let’s all work together to find answers, and create solutions. With our Faith, Family and Friends, anything is possible. Remember, challenges...are just opportunities in disguise.

Building a growing, resilient economy that works for all families sounds simple but is perhaps our most complex challenge. It touches on worker education, a more balanced tax system, and keeping necessities–housing, nutrition, education–affordable.

Creating safe communities means doing the long-term work to decrease poverty, homelessness, and incarceration. It means sustainable investments in mental healthcare and public safety. And it means calm, nuanced conversations about how to reduce gun violence in our communities.

To have the harder conversations, we need to sit at the table together and start figuring out a local political culture that is less combustible and more generous. Part of the challenge is structural and can be helped by shortening the political season, getting money out of politics and creating balanced districts, so that folks feel like their voice matters and we aren’t encouraging a flight to the political extremes. Personally and culturally, we have to be willing to let go of our identities and assumptions a bit and to really show up for each other as neighbors. We can keep local politics local in the best of ways.

Originally published on columbiagorgenews.com, part of the TownNews Content Exchange.

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