QA 19th District — Rep. Dean Takko and David Steenson

Dean Takko Democrat

The state Supreme Court has just held the Legislature in contempt for failing to make adequate progress on a plan to fully fund education by the deadlines laid out in the McCleary decision. Should the court have found the Legislature in contempt? How would you propose to fully fund education by the deadline?

The Court really did not have a choice in finding the state in contemp. They told us to do something and we did not do it. Whether they really wanted to do it or not they somewhat backed themselves into the corner and had to make the point that they meant for the legislature to fund Mc Cleary. Funding is going to have to be a combination of budget cuts, new revenue and closing some tax exemptions. There is no one answer to finding several billions of dollars. It will only be much harder to fund education if the class size initiative should pass adding the requirement that we spend perhaps 2 billion more than McCleary requires.

There are dueling initiatives on the upcoming ballot over background checks on gun sales in the state. One, I-594, would extend background checks to private gun sales. The other, I-591, would prevent the state from instituting any type of background check that goes beyond federal rules. What is your position on expanded background checks?

I am a no on I-954, it is poorly written and has what I feel our unintended consequences in severely putting unrealistic burdens on the transfer and loaning of firearms to a friend or relative. It offers a simplistic approach to a very complex issue. Our time and money would be better spent trying to identify and treat those that have mental problems.

With the Majority Coalition Caucus made up largely of Republicans in the Senate and a Democratic majority in the House, it seemed like compromise was difficult between the two chambers at times in the last session. How do you see this situation affecting the upcoming session, and what can be done to make sure things get done this coming year?

If the dynamics of the legislature are the same as last session it will be difficult to find compromise. Both sides will have to give something. We have to pass a budget. I can’t see us shutting down the state government because we don’t have a budget by the end of the biennium, 6/30/15.

David Steenson Libertarian

The state Supreme Court has just held the Legislature in contempt for failing to make adequate progress on a plan to fully fund education by the deadlines laid out in the McCleary decision. Should the court have found the Legislature in contempt? How would you propose to fully fund education by the deadline?

I believe that the Supreme Court should be out of the business of what the legislature does. That’s what they are there for — to make decision on what we spend or don’t spend — and the court should basically just butt out of education and let the House and Senate make the decisions based on the income that the state receives.

There are dueling initiatives on the upcoming ballot over background checks on gun sales in the state. One, I-594, would extend background checks to private gun sales. The other, I-591, would prevent the state from instituting any type of background check that goes beyond federal rules. What is your position on expanded background checks?

I believe any background checks done on our citizens that haven’t committed any felonies, we shoudn’t bother with that. That debate was already settled in 1791. There shouldn’t be any checks on backgrounds. We have adequate rules in place, and we don’t need to extend that. In fact, some of the rules need to be taken back a few steps.

With the Majority Coalition Caucus made up largely of Republicans in the Senate and a Democratic majority in the House, it seemed like compromise was difficult between the two chambers at times in the last session. How do you see this situation affecting the upcoming session, and what can be done to make sure things get done this coming year?

They need to be adults and work together in the interest of Washington. We’ve gone way too long and we’ve spent way too much money in the state, and we’re taxing our citizens way too much.