Issue Position: Karen's Priorities

Issue Position

My priorities in Olympia reflect my values at home. I believe strong, healthy communities are the key to a better future for our families. That's why my priorities are clear:

1. Excellent educational opportunities from pre-school through college
2. Excellent health care that is affordable and accessible to all
3. Economic security for our hard working families and small business owners

The "great recession" has made it especially important to focus on economic security this year., Too many people who are ready to work cannot find jobs, and too many business owners who are ready to expand cannot get the banks to provide financing. I intend to go back to Olympia next year with a clear agenda promoting jobs and our economic recovery.

My priorities of jobs, education and health care are all interrelated. A good education, or updating of work skills is vital to be successful in a job search. Our economy is still creating job openings for many health care occupations. That's why I support training programs in our community colleges and local hospitals to help current workers improve their skills and move up the job ladder to open new entry level jobs for the unemployed. I think of this approach as a "win-win" for everyone involved.

It's also why I supported the JOBS Act of 2010, which if passed by the voters this fall, will create 38,000 jobs by undertaking energy retrofitting of our public school buildings. We will have healthier, more energy efficient schools saving more than $120 million in annual operating costs for our public school districts. That's another "win-win" in my opinion.

I will continue to be innovative and creative in finding solutions to the tough challenges we face. I look forward to the opportunity to make progress on these vital priorities for the residents of the 33rd District.

Source