House candidates for Washington’s 17th and 18th legislative districts took the stage at a forum hosted by the League of Women Voters of Clark County on Oct. 5, addressing key issues such as education funding and the ongoing discourse surrounding the Climate Commitment Act (CCA).
The event, held at the Camas Public Library, brought together Republican incumbent Stephanie McClintock and Democrat Deken Letinich for District 18, position 1, alongside Democrat Terri Niles and Republican Washougal Mayor David Stuebe in District 17, position 2, as they shared their perspectives ahead of the Nov. 5 general election.
The Climate Commitment Act
Washington’s 2021 Climate Commitment Act (CCA) mandates businesses to reduce carbon emissions or purchase allowances, with proceeds supporting transportation projects. The legislation aligns with the state’s goal to eliminate carbon emissions by 2045. On the November ballot, Initiative 2117 proposes to repeal the CCA, a subject that divided the candidates.
Stephanie McClintock voiced her support for repealing the act, citing concerns about its burden on taxpayers and questioning the measurability of its goals. She argued that the CCA has driven up gas prices and proposed alternative environmental solutions, such as fish habitat preservation and maintaining the Snake River Dam, which she said could be funded without overtaxing residents.
Conversely, Deken Letinich defended the CCA, emphasizing its role in funding critical infrastructure, including the state’s ferry system and environmental projects. He dismissed the notion that repealing the act would result in substantial fuel price reductions and argued that infrastructure needs outweigh any potential savings at the pump.
“To take that away under the guise of assumed lower fuel prices, there’s no guarantee of that, and so I think it’s misleading to say as much, but I’ll be voting no on [Initiative] 2117. I think that we have shown every candidate, every person I’ve talked to, has recognized that our infrastructure is in poor shape in Southwest Washington and across the state, and so to remove a funding mechanism for that doesn’t make sense,” Letinich said.
In District 17, Terri Niles echoed support for the CCA, underscoring its significance for transportation and environmental projects in her district. She warned that repealing the act would hinder important initiatives like street widening and salmon recovery, both funded by the CCA. Niles also disputed claims that repealing the act would ease gas prices, labeling them a “false narrative.”
David Stuebe acknowledged the importance of addressing environmental concerns, such as wildfires and climate change, but voiced skepticism about the CCA’s mandates and transparency. He called for greater accountability regarding how funds are allocated and advocated for a more deliberate approach to environmental policymaking.
Education funding
The candidates also weighed in on whether current state funding adequately supports Washington’s public schools.
McClintock, a former Battle Ground Public Schools board member, was critical of the state’s existing funding system, particularly the outdated school construction formula. She argued that it fails to reflect the true costs of building schools and advocated for an overhaul of the entire funding model.
I think it’s been about 20 years since [Battle Ground Public Schools] have been able to pass a bond, and continuing to ask the voters [for a] property tax increase, that just doesn’t work in Battle Ground, in the rural area. So I think we need to look at how the state funds our schools completely and stop just putting Band-Aids on everything for little meals here or, you know, security here, we need to completely fund the entire thing,” McClintock said.
Letinich agreed that public schools are underfunded and proposed lowering the bond approval threshold to make school bonds and levies easier to pass. He cited Ridgefield’s narrowly failed bond as an example and stressed the need for more financial support for educators and special education programs. He also said he would be willing to agree on a 55% voter supermajority compromise to get legislative approval.
In District 17, both candidates were asked if they would consider changing the supermajority requirement for bond approval, which currently requires 60% plus one vote. Niles supported reducing the threshold to a simple majority, pointing to challenges faced by rural areas like Skamania County, where high proportions of federally owned land make property tax-based funding unrealistic.
Stuebe, while highlighting issues of equity in education due to the existence of private and homeschooling options, did not explicitly state whether he supported changing the supermajority requirement.
