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Apply Common Sense to rein in Regulations
Micromanaging
doesn’t work in business, and it doesn’t work in government. We
are strangling our small businesses, our natural resource
industries, our schools and our rural counties and communities
with excessive and ill-fitting regulation. We are ceding
control of our property and our communities to unelected
bureaucracies. We need to get the responsibility for
developing and administering legitimate regulation back
to the level closest to the issues and bring common sense
back to government.
Apply Compassion to the tough issue of accessible, affordable Healthcare
Our rural healthcare
facilities are the canary in the coal mine when it comes to the
viability of our healthcare system across the state. We are not
facing up to these issues, and the system is going to crash
unless we change direction, and change soon. Healthcare costs
are a major factor in the state budget and understanding these
issues will be critical to building a balanced budget
in the 2005-2006 biennium. Sue Lani Madsen will bring common
sense and compassion to the debate. It's an economic and social
dilemma with complex facets:
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Rural healthcare
institutions are critical to protecting quality of
life and the local economy. Every time someone has
to leave the community for care, their dollars go with them.
Financially healthy rural providers lead to economic and
family health.
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Number of
uninsured is unacceptable, putting a heavy burden
on our healthcare resources and on our families who have no
access to insurance. We need to remove roadblocks to health
insurance and encourage personal responsibility through
health savings accounts.
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Need for
major reinvestment in facilities requires new
capital funding that cannot be supported solely from the
rural economy. 30-50 year old buildings need regular
reinvestment to remain in service as part of a strong rural
infrastructure.
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Shortage
of healthcare providers threatens availability and
quality of care for everyone, from 7th District residents to
our recreational visitors from across the state and the
region. Extending training and educational opportunities to
7th District residents solves personnel shortages while
adding local jobs.
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Restrain the Size of Government through the budget process:
Start the budget from zero and identify the core functions of government for which taxes should reasonably be assessed. “Because we've always done it that way” is no justification for continuing to regulate or operate the same way in the future. We need accountability measures to assure that we, the taxpayers, receive fair value for our money.
Encourage Economic Development in the private sector:
When it comes to economic development and government, less is more. We need to approach rural economic development on three fronts:
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All Business - Reduce B&O Taxes, increase access to health insurance, reform Workers Comp insurance system, use common sense and expect personal responsibility in considering ergonomics legislation and work rules, remove regulatory roadblocks to small business start up and expansion, finish the job on tort reform.
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Agriculture - Remove roadblocks to the development of locally produced Value Added products, improve marketing of Washington state products overseas, resolve water rights issues fairly and quickly, invest in transportation infrastructure for farm to market.
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Timber and Mining - Plan sustainable and economically viable harvest/extraction for jobs both now and into the future, expedite and reduce permit processes, reduce regulatory oversight which impacts competitiveness, finish the job on RMAP regulations.
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Healthcare - Support expanded services to keep more dollars in the local economy; retain good quality jobs and job opportunities for young people; recognize the importance of a strong healthcare system to attract new businesses and retirees, play fair on Pro Share.
Recognize shared family, local and state Responsibility for Education:
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A strong economy supports family choices and the ability to send students to school ready to learn, or to home school successfully. Families bear the first responsibility for the education of their children.
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Local school boards and communities have a local responsibility to support public education for the sake of the future and to shape that education to the needs and desires of the local community.
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The State of Washington has a constitutional responsibility under Article IX to “make ample provision for the education of all children residing within its borders.” Meeting this paramount duty is a struggle in each budget biennium, made more difficult by layers of regulation and unfunded mandates to local districts. We need to bring common sense back into the discussion of what our schools should be, including re-examination of the WASL test process.
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