It’s time for the current crop of state legislators to hand over the reins to someone new. Our current state Legislature has done a terrible job of managing the taxpayers’ money. We need a new batch of legislators in Olympia who realize that there are other ways of addressing our financial problems.

The incumbent, Claudia Kauffman, chose to vote for this year’s budget, which raised taxes some $800 million, instead of making the tough decisions that would have forced our state government to do more with less.

Washington needs smart, fresh legislators that think of 21st century ways of addressing old problems. This is why I support Joe Fain for the State Senate in the 47th District.

I met Joe when he came to my door and introduced himself. He impressed me by bringing a fresh perspective to state issues. He spoke of efficiency the way I do – in connection to a finite pool of resources.

– Jim Schwend