Marko Liias

Issues

  • A Strong Record

    I am proud that bills I sponsored were signed into law:

    • Consumer Protection: My bill ensures that every citizen has access to comprehensive consumer protection resources via the Internet.  This new law will connect you to the services you are already paying for, all in one easily accessible website.
    • Affordable Housing: I was proud to sponsor the Rapid Response Program which targets $10 million to protect and preserve existing affordable housing that is at risk.  This means that mobile home parks, affordable apartments, and vacant land in affordable neighborhoods can be preserved.
    • Training for School Employees: The bill that I sponsored ensures that all school employees have access to high-quality training.  Our children deserve the best teachers, but also the best classroom aides and instructional support personnel as well.
    • Aerospace Tax Fairness: I was the House sponsor of a bill that extends the tax credits and incentives that were approved for Boeing to small aerospace companies.  Small and medium-sized aerospace companies employ thousands of workers in our county, and they deserve the same treatment as the very largest firms.

  • A Sound Budget

    This year, I was pleased to vote for a sound budget that will guide our state government:

    • No New Taxes: The 2008 Supplemental Budget did not rely on new taxes, and included several tax reductions to help small businesses, like our small aerospace companies.
    • Strong Reserves: Our budget left $850 million in reserves and fully funded the Rainy Day Fund that was approved by voters last fall.
    • Smart Investments: This year's budget continued our investments in schools, roads, and infrastructure for our state.  With a weakening national economy, we can ensure that our future is bright by investing in our people and our state.

    If I am elected this fall, I will continue to advocate for fiscal responsibility in our state's budgets.  As gas prices rise, health care costs increase, and food becomes more expensive, we cannot afford to increase taxes on our families.  I will always fight for healthy reserves, and sound investments in our state and its people.

  • A Bright Future

    Our state motto is "Alki" a Native American word that roughly translates to "into the future".  The people of Washington have always had their eyes trained on the horizon, working hard today, but preparing for the future.  We deserve leaders that will stand up for us now, but also have a vision for a better tomorrow.

    Preparing our children to meet tomorrow's challenges
    We live in a global economy and our children will have to work smarter and harder to achieve the same quality of life we enjoy today. I believe our educational system should prepare children for the future:

    • Setting High Standards: The only way our children will succeed is by meeting the high expectations that will be set for them. Our schools must set high standards, give every child the instruction they need to succeed, and then measure their performance. Our current WASL punishes students and gives no real feedback to their teachers, that must change.
    • World Class Teachers: Our children deserve motivated, well-prepared teachers that have the skills and the passion to prepare them for success. We cannot set high expectations for our teachers without giving the tools and compensation they deserve.
    • Career and Technical Education: Not every high school graduate will go straight to college, but every student deserves the skills to succeed in a family-wage job.

    A strong economy ensures strong communities
    We are fortunate to have one of the strongest economies in the nation, and our skilled workforce leads the nation in the technology and aerospace sectors. When every able-bodied person has a good job, our communities are stronger:

    • Supporting Small Businesses: Our smallest employers are the backbone of our economy, we must work hard to reduce regulation and give our small businesses the support they need to thrive.
    • Keeping us healthy: The rising cost of health care is a challenge for employers and workers alike, and we need to find a common sense solution that ensures affordable, high quality care for every Washingtonian.
    • Partners in Innovation: Washington leads the nation in technology and innovation, and our tax system should reward companies for success.

    Caring for the needs of our seniors

    After a lifetime of working and raising families, seniors deserve to enjoy their golden years with dignity and quality of life. I believe that we must provide better support for our senior citizens:

    • A Place to Call Home: We must ensure housing that maintains a high quality of life with the appropriate care and support our seniors require. Our seniors should not fear that property taxes or the closure of a mobile home park would deprive them of their dignity.
    • Protecting the Vulnerable: Every family must have the peace of mind that the caregiver helping a loved one is credible and trust-worthy.
    • The Chance to Give Back: Many societies treasure their elders, and we need to give our seniors meaningful opportunities to contribute their skills back to us all. Our schools, hospitals, parks and public places benefit from the experiences and knowledge that our seniors can share with us.



Paid for by Liias for Legislature