Q&A: Candidates for 23rd District state House, position 1 | 2014 Election
Published 11:16 am Tuesday, September 23, 2014
This is part 2 in a series of Q&As with candidates for local office in the Nov. 4 general election. This Q&A: Sherry Appleton and Scott Henden, 23rd District state House of Representatives, position 1.
Members of the state House of Representatives are elected to two-year terms, are paid $42,106 a year plus per diem, and receive the same benefits provided to other state employees. Their salaries are set by the Washington Citizens Commission on Salaries for Elected Officials.
SHERRY APPLETON
Residence: Poulsbo
Occupation: Legislator
Education: College (no degree)
Relevant experience: 10 years as a state representative, 11 years as a lobbyist (1994-2004), Poulsbo City Council member for eight years (1985-1994)
Q: What are the top issues in this campaign?
Appleton: For me, it is the budget; fulfilling McCleary without hurting our vulnerable communities; veterans’ issues; incarcerating less people — mentally ill citizens should be under medical care, not in prisons or jails; affordable housing; and straightening out the health care system.
Q: What are your priorities if elected?
Appleton: Two of my longtime priorities have been increasing public safety by advocating for a fair and effective criminal justice system, and championing programs that allow older citizens to live in dignity and comfort, preferably in their own homes for as long as possible.
Q: How would you accomplish those priorities?
Appleton: Working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to introduce and pass legislation that achieves these goals.
Q: Regarding bipartisanship: Provide some examples of how you’ve worked cooperatively with someone of another political party to reach consensus or accomplish a goal.
Appleton: Rep. Norm Johnson, R-Yakima, and I introduced community development legislation that will help small cities and towns incentivize businesses by funding infrastructure projects.
As chair of the House Committee on Community Development, Housing, Tribal Affairs, Veterans and Tourism, I ensured my committee members — both R and D — that their legislation would get serious consideration and would advance out of committee if thoughtful and affordable. Almost every piece of legislation was advanced unanimously. We worked together very well.
Q: What experience do you have that makes you most qualified for the position you seek?
Appleton: As a state legislator for the past 10 years, I believe I have put Kitsap first. We have created 7,000 jobs through the Capital Budget, and helped projects like Kingston Village Green succeed.
I understand that you must compromise to pass good legislation, know how to problem-solve, and have the ability to work with both sides of the aisle.
* * *
SCOTT HENDEN
Residence: Kingston
Occupation: Owner, Henden Electric
Education: Graduate, North Kitsap High School; graduate, four-year electrical trade school
Relevant experience: I have lived and been active in this community for 50 years. I am currently on the North Kitsap School Board, past Habitat for Humanity board member, baseball coach, sponsor and youth wrestling coach. I am married with four adult children.
Q: What are the top issues in this campaign?
Henden: To have business provide jobs, we need to be better at supporting business — with fair, consistent rules, timelines, low tax rates, roads and property that meet their needs.
I want good paying jobs too. To do that, a piece of the problem is illegals who take the work and drive down wages. All workers need to be citizens or have a work visa. My opponent Sherry Appleton said that illegal workers drive wages up. She also said, “I don’t think they take any of our jobs.” (See the Sun interview of Aug. 28.) I do not blame illegals; neither should you. I blame her for a lack of action and passive attitude on the issue.
We all want great schools, to see our kids graduate and have success in the next step in life. We need to define and fund basic education. Schools should be funded first in our state budget, not left to the last and then used as a lever for new taxes. Remove mandates that add time and staff that are not funded. Student sex offenders, drug dealers and those known to be violent have no place in our schools, and state mandates to place them in our schools need to be removed.
Our state roads need to be updated and maintained. An example is State Highway 3, Poulsbo to the Hood Canal Bridge. It is 20 years behind in an update and a holding area. It is an issue to me as well as the backup coming off Bainbridge at the Clearwater Casino Resort. I support a Department of Transportation audit that resolves the waste. Feel good mass transit dollars need to end and dollars spent to build and maintain roads.
Public safety is a must. Repeat drunken drivers who kill someone on our roads should be charged as murderers. The 27 months a Kitsap man received for killing a lady on Clear Creek is an outrage. He had another DUI within six months of release. We should try to train and educate those we can, but a jail house revolving door is no answer for those who will offend again. In the past five years I have had my mail stolen, office broken into and been hit by a drunken driver. I do not believe that our legal system is working to protect us.
We have enough taxes. This state has had spending growth from $61 billion in the 2005-07 budget to $73 billion in 2011-13 budget. My opponent says that the budget has been cut to the bone. What do you think? Failure of past leadership may result in a new tax but it must have a sunset and actual reduction in spending.
Q: What are your priorities if elected?
Henden: See above — Good jobs and economy, great schools, quality roads and public safety.
Q: How would you accomplish those priorities?
Henden: In contracting, a client and business may have some competing interest but we find ways to meet a middle ground that meets both of their goals. You have to work with people to be successful. It’s true, sometimes there is too wide a gap and you need to know when to work with them and when to walk. Party politics make that harder at times but I will work with people of both parties when it is to the good of Kitsap County and state citizens. I will work with county, state and federal officials from both parties to solve our road problems, school funding, public safety and good jobs.
Q: Regarding bipartisanship: Provide some examples of how you’ve worked cooperatively with someone of another political party to reach consensus or accomplish a goal.
Henden: See answer to preceding question.
Q: What experience do you have that makes you most qualified for the position you seek?
Henden: Experience is only part of the question of good leadership. The Democratic Party has been in leadership of this state for 30 years, often with all three branches of the state government. My opponent, for 10 years. Her stated top priority is payday lenders. If that is a priority to you, vote for her. I believe that my successful experience in small business for 30 years, with the values gained and lessons learned, will be the right experience to move the state toward the goals stated. I hope you will consider me for your vote.
