— by Lin McNulty and Margie Doyle —
Kris Lytton, left, and Daniel Miller debate the issues the State representative for the 40th District will face.
Kris Lytton and Daniel Miller belatedly took their places at the League of Women Voters of the San Juans Forum on Wednesday evening, thanks to the fog-delayed ferries.They faced each other and the voters in their race to represent the 40th District in the State Legislature.
Lytton, the incumbent, spoke of her experience prior to the Legislature as a Public School Board member. Now, she serves on four committees as State Representative:
- Finance
- Appropriations
- Education
- Agriculture/Natural Resources
She is also House Democratic Floor Leader.
Daniel Miller is a San Juan Island resident who has been involved in health care issues. He said that the proposed ferry reservation system is a boondoggle and plans to bring more jobs to the local economy.
Freedom and liberty are not talked about enough in the legislature, he said; and when asked to elaborate on that, he replied, “If you don’t know, I can’t tell you.” He went on to describe over-regulation of land use. Lytton responded that government serves people and collectively. “We do better when we work together. We must take care of the most vulnerable.”
Lytton said that the Supreme Court’s McCleary decision to hold the Legislature accountable for funding basic education “drove me to Olympia.” She expressed determination to work together with Republicans in the Legislature, which has been held in contempt by the State Judiciary, with penalties to be levied in the event there is not a workable plan at the end of the Legislature’s next session (2015) , Lytton said that the tax structure needs to be re-prioritized.
Miller expressed his beliefs that there is no constitutional battle pending over funding of education and that he doesn’t believe there will be a battle over the issue.
Regarding senior population issues in the 40th District, Miller said that home healthcare is one of the biggest issues in the state. Lytton said there will be a task force set up to give recommendations next year about the issues facing “the senior tsunami.”
When asked about rising State Labor and Industry rates, Lytton said, “Big business is getting lots of breaks; what can we do to help small businesses?” She advocated support of agricultural business, and striking a balance between small and large businesses. Miller agreed with Lytton and pledged to work on such programs if elected.
When the issue of militarization of police came up, Miller said that it was more of a federal issue, stemming from a federal program; and that U.S, Representative Rick Larsen should be consulted. Lytton said that the issue reflects our values more than our policies; that education, civil discourse and tolerance for diversity are what’s needed.
When Orcas School Board Director Tony Ghazel asked what is the biggest issue that needs to be addressed in a bipartisan manner, Lytton said the passage of a transportation budget is needed, as the gridlock is “drastically affecting ferries.” This gridlock is due, “in large part because the Senate won’t deal with taxes,” she said. Miller said that lively debate is missing in government, and that he will work for a bipartisan discussion of the ferries.
