Editor,
As we try to determine who to vote for in the 18th Legislative District House seat, Position 2, we can study each candidate’s website along with their voter pamphlet statements to understand their views and opinions. This letter is my assessment and interpretation of both candidates from their campaign websites.
Mr. Zingale: Is a member of the teachers union; supports more money from the state for schools; wants school bond passage to go from 60% to 50% +1; wants universal child care; universal health care; wants social workers to help criminals; supports gun controls; supports a new Interstate 5 bridge with light rail and tolls; is against fossil fuels; supports rent subsidies and rent controls; wants zoning changes to create more housing; wants to incentivize affordable housing and support environmental controls. Finally, he wants to “de-escalate policing.”
John Ley: Is against light rail and supports a third bridge; is a fiscal conservative; is against tolls; supports affordable housing by reducing property taxes; wants to increase the supply of housing by expanding urban growth boundaries and reducing government regulation; supports police; supports parental rights; is against any income or capital gains tax; is against the carbon tax; is critical of C-Tran’s actions in buying new million dollar articulated 100-passenger buses when the average bus carries 20 people an hour; supports tax cuts and budget controls; proposes to exempt the first $250,000 of a home’s value from taxation to make housing more affordable; wants tangible improvements in the K-12 system based on increased student achievement in reading, writing, math and science; wants tough sentencing and actions against drug dealers.
Conclusions: Based on the positions they take it’s clear. Mr. Zingale clearly supports what may be called a socialist agenda with more government, higher taxes and government controls. On the opposite side is John Ley who supports prudent transportation and businesses and schools, with a strong bent to minimizing taxation and keeping the choices in the hands of the people. Growth and freedom or more taxation and Big Brother government? John Ley is the best choice.
Dick Rylander
Battle Ground
