The five candidates for two House of Representatives positions in the 19th District, talked taxes, budgets, infrastructure and the state’s comprehensive sex ed bill at an online debate Wednesday.

The debate was hosted by the Republican and Democratic Subcommittee for Debates/Forums of Wahkiakum County and moderated by Wahkiakum High School Principal Stephanie Leitz.

Position 1 candidates include incumbent Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen, and challengers, both Democrats from Montesano, Clint Bryson and Marianna Everson.

There are two candidates for Position 2, longtime incumbent Brian Blake, D-Aberdeen, and Republican challenger Joel McEntire, of Cathlamet – the two faced off in the 2018 election as well.

After Leitz presented questions, the candidates, chosen in random order, each had two minutes to respond. Below is a selection of highlights from the 90-minute debate.

The forum began with candidates asked just why they are running for office.

“It’s clear the district is changing in political ideology,” said McEntire, “shifting away from the standard Democratic platform toward the Republican platform, and that’s what I’m running on.”

His opponent, Blake, said the reason he got into the Legislature originally in the ‘90s was his anger about lack of public access to public lands. He’s in his 18th year in office and wants to continue what he called a “fascinating job.”

Position 2 incumbent Walsh, seeking his second term, said, “I was elected really to bring a new approach to how to handle public policy in Olympia for this part of the state and I think I’ve been successful, largely. My approach really is to bring a more limited government priority to Olympia and try to whip into shape the policy we do at the state level.”

Everson, a registered nurse, said, “I decided to run because I keep getting told ‘no’ on a lot of things that are really important to myself, my community, my family and my patients.” She said the COVID-19 pandemic has shown that “employer sponsored health care is not the way we get and keep people healthy.” She said health care, employment, schools, how taxes are collected are all connected, “and we can do better.”

Bryson, a union rep, said his experience in that position has taught him how to advocate for workers on health and safety, health care, pensions and economic development. “I know what it’s like to be in Olympia lobbying for or against something, and how to navigate state programs and the difficulties we have with that.” His experience on the Montesano City Council “showed what local governments face, with mandates from the state level.”

The economy

Several questions dealt with the challenge the state will have creating a budget staring down the barrel of an estimated $9 billion shortfall due to COVID-19 shutdowns and restrictions.

“What we need to do is trim our sails in Olympia,” said Walsh. “We need to trim those budgets to match the lower revenues, and that is something we can do without cutting any essential services. It’s something we did last session with the transportation budget.”

“My most important priority is to make sure we do not make a lot of cuts to our budget,” said Everson. “We can bring in more revenue in this state, we have a lot of opportunity for that. She said the richest people in the state do not pay proportional taxes, a source ripe for the picking. When asked later what she would be willing to cut in budget talks, she said “I don’t intend to cut anything.”

Bryson said it’s important current critical infrastructure projects continue in the district. “I think growing our economy is not going to hurt people as much as too many cuts would,” he said. Education should also remain well funded, particularly technical and community colleges, as their programs allow laid off workers to access training to restart their own careers.

Blake, like Walsh, feels the Legislature should be in a special session now to deal with the budget. “The sooner we make those adjustments to the budget the better.” He said adjustments to spur the economy, like large and small scale projects designed to attract businesses to the district, will go a long way in helping to restart the economy.

McEntire called the economy his number one priority. He said some Democrats are talking about a payroll tax increase, the last thing the economy needs, he said. “That’s not the fix. They think year after year after year the money is just going to keep coming in,” and with the shortfall predicted from the pandemic “they’re looking for ways to get money out of the private sector,” said McEntire. He said taxing the rich just sends that money out of state where it can’t benefit the economy at all.

Transportation priorities

All five candidates agreed major transportation infrastructure projects already begun in the district should continue. All agreed the East Aberdeen rail separation project, which includes an overpass and separating the levels of the roadway and train tracks through the Olympic Gateway Plaza area, was critical, and most mentioned the similar Industrial Way and Oregon Way rail separation project in Longview as another.

Comprehensive sex education

The controversial sex education package passed by the Legislature last session is divisive and candidates were asked where they stood.

Bryson said he supports sex education but believes it should be up to individual school districts to develop fact-based educational materials that are age-appropriate. “Parents should have the right to view it and make the decision if they want their kids to participate,” said Bryson, adding he supports the voters getting their say with Referendum 90, which seeks to throw out the legislation.

Walsh continued his strong disapproval for the package, saying it takes control away from the school districts and places it in the hands of the state Office of the Superintendent for Public Instruction. “I believe local elected school boards have to have control over curriculum and not have to submit plans for approval to the bureaucrats at OSPI.”

Blake, who voted for the legislation last session, said “we must get back together as a community to protect our kids,” and the legislation provides tools for young people to identify sexual abuse and looks to prevent teen pregnancies, and said the local school boards do get a say in the specific curriculum for their own districts.

Everson contended the package was good and necessary to help kids identify and deal with sexual abuse. McEntire is opposed to the package.

State income tax

All the candidates, save one, were directly opposed to a state income tax. Blake, Walsh, Bryson, and McEntire said no to either the income tax or a capital gains tax. Everson, however, said she pays “more in taxes than Jeff Bezos as a percentage of income” and that the current “most regressive tax structure in the country” the state has funds the “state off the backs of the working class.”

Everson continued, “I know hundreds, thousands who will happily pay a little more in tax so the rest of us can have a better life.”