Statements and Platitudes are one thing, but policy is another. Here are Hamilton's plans
Housing Affordability
RCW 36.70B.080 (current law) states that government has up to 65 days to issue a final decision on a construction permit that requires local permission, It has a 100 days to issue a final decision for a permit that requires public notice and 170 to issue a final determination for a permit that requires a public hearing.
Studies show that longer permitting processes increase
According to the Building Industry Association of Washington, and the nonpartisan Washington State Policy Center, Government Regulations from the state level are up to almost 30 percent of the cost to build a home. These Organizations have also highlighted regulations that were imposed to protect the environment but failed to do so. We can cut FAILED regulations in order to reduce the cost of construction, and the workload required to approve permits to reduce the workload for faster permitting, and even more cost effective construction as a result.
Sources
Note
We will update and add to this as time goes on
Education
Based on the 2024 Washington state report card we see that since 2013 Washington state students went from 10th in the nation in math to 27 and 15th to 18th on Reading. Since 2012 we have increased spending per student by 39 percent (adjusted for inflation)
It’s not the amount of money the state is spending, it’s where it goes and how it’s used that matters. Ural districts face increased challenges with our communities’ reliance on timber dollars to fund schools. Dollars that we are losing. In Olympia I will advocate that the budget require these lost dollars to be replaced by the state if the state should mandate or advocate for a loss of dollars through environmental policy. Protecting our environment and our education.
Growing up in my home school district, each school had its own zone where people lived and their kids would go to school at the school of their zone. This sounds like a simple system only that segregates our students based on income due to the fact that lower income and minority groups are located together. This creates a system where the poor students and students of minority backgrounds are told to go to the same school separating students from other schools. In my district Dry Creek Elementary school was legendary for poor student outcomes and performance. Students also came from among the poorest neighborhoods in the school district, mine included. Teachers and staff would regularly address this. I would advocate for a non discriminatory policy that allows students and their parents to choose the best schools for them. While not completely deleting the zoning system, recreating it so as not to place students from poor financial backgrounds at a disadvantage to students of a more well off background.
We see that Lake Washington and Bellevue are among the best school districts in Washington but also among the most wealthy. The issue is not the amount we spend on education but where it goes.
Sources
Washington State Policy Center
Washington State Report Card
Washington State Standard (article linked below)
NOte
We will update and add to this as time goes on
Protecting people from higher taxes
Washington voters have approved and supported a state requirement for a legislative supermajority (2/3) to impose tax increases. This has received as much as 64 percent of the vote. However the Supreme court has struck this down stating it must be a constitutional amendment.The people of Washington have made it clear that they do not trust a simple majority with tax increases. I will support a constitutional amendment to impose this restriction that the people demand.
Sources
1993: Initiative 601
1998: Referendum 49
2007: Initiative 960
2010: Initiative 1053
2012: Initiative 1185
Washington State Policy Center
Washington Research Council
Note
We will update and add to this as time goes on
Your issues
Contact my campaign and we will find out what your issues are and build policy around your priorities. We will feature those Ideas here and what legislation we can bring to Olympia together.
Sources
None cited
Note
When ideas are proposed here we will post the person’s concern, our response, and our Legislative solutions. We will update this as time goes on