Sammamish lawmakers prepare for legislative session
December 31, 2012
New: Dec. 31, 3:16 p.m.
Sammamish’s Republican state senators are poised to play key roles in budget and education issues in Olympia next year.
Sen. Steve Litzow, who represents the southern half of the city in the 41st District, and Sen. Andy Hill, who covers the rest of Sammamish in the 45th District, will be given plum committee chairmanships as part of a new majority coalition announced earlier this month. Read more
Incumbents win in legislative races
November 14, 2012
In the first race after redistricting earlier in the year, most Sammamish voters saw new names on their ballots.
The southern half of the city is now in the 41st District, while the northern half is in the 45th.
But the batch of new-to-Sammamish lawmakers all won re-election Nov. 6, with generally large margins of victory. Read more
Sen. Andy Hill hosts town hall
November 12, 2012
New: Nov. 12, 2:53 p.m.
Residents in the north half of Sammamish are invited to join a telephone town hall meeting with state Sen. Andy Hill (R-45). The event will take place at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov.15. Hill will take questions from constituents and discuss current state issues and his priorities for the 2013 legislative session, which begins Jan. 14.
To be part of the event, call 1-877-229-8493 shortly before 7 p.m. and enter the code 18404 when prompted.
Our endorsements for 45th District representatives
October 24, 2012
45th Legislative District
State House of Representatives, Position 1 — Roger Goodman
Roger Goodman has solid, specific ideas for how to move the state forward. While he sometimes focuses on peripheral issues, in doing so he’s built relationships with members of the other party. In the coming term, he needs to focus more on jobs and the economy and less on marijuana and drunk driving, but he’s up to the task.
State House of Representatives, Position 2 — Larry Springer
Larry Springer has demonstrated a willingness to work with his counterparts across the aisle, a needed rarity in these hyper-partisan times. He’s a member of a group of centrist (some call them conservative) Democrats, who work to find sensible solutions to intractable problems. Springer is becoming an elder statesman in the Legislative delegation from the Eastside. His seniority allows him to give voters in the district an important, intelligent voice in statewide issues.
Roger Goodman, Joel Hussey square off in 45th
October 17, 2012
The Washington State Supreme Court threw down the gauntlet earlier this year with respect to the state’s role in funding K-12 education, leaving legislators with the unenviable task of coming up with billions of dollars more in the coming years, despite a slowly recovering economy and a tax-averse public. Read more
Jim Thatcher challenges Larry Springer for house seat
October 4, 2012
While going door-to-door to talk to voters, Larry Springer and Jim Thatcher say they’ve heard two recurring concerns from nearly every 45th District voter – education and the economy.
Those same voters will soon be tasked with determining which of the two men is better suited to address those issues in the House of Representatives in Olympia the next two years. The district encompasses the north half of Sammamish as well as Redmond and Kirkland. Read more
Primary results favor incumbents across the board
August 7, 2012
New: Aug. 7, 9:42 p.m.
In Sammamish’s only contested local election, state Rep. Roger Goodman (D) will face Republican Joel Hussey in the November election for the 45th Legislative District. Political newcomer Jacob Bond finished a distant third.
The newly drawn district includes the northern half of Sammamish, along with parts of Redmond and Kirkland. Goodman came late to the race, after withdrawing from a run for the 1st Congressional District, but he still carried the first round of ballots, released by King County Election Aug. 7. Read more
Voters to decide 45th District primary
July 28, 2012
New: July 28, 1:18 p.m.
Incumbent Democrat Roger Goodman is facing a challenge from a seasoned business executive and an upstart young military veteran as he seeks a fourth term representing 45th District voters in Olympia.
Voters will decide in the Aug. 7 primary which two of the three men – Goodman, Republican Joel Hussey and Democrat Jacob Bond – will advance to the November general election. Read more
Candidate ratings released
July 11, 2012
Nearly every candidate running for office in Sammamish’s legislative districts received good marks from the Municipal League of King County.
The league, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that promotes “open, effective and accountable” government, released its rankings of local legislative candidates last week. Read more
Jim Thatcher to challenge Larry Springer in the 45th
June 1, 2012
New: June 1, 2:14 a.m.
A Redmond Microsoft manager who calls for no new taxes and reducing government regulations will challenge four-term incumbent Democratic Rep. Larry Springer in November’s election.
Jim Thatcher, a Republican, said he believes it’s time for new leadership in Olympia, which has seen contentious budget battles in recent years. He calls for long-term “spending controls and budget reforms” that will help create a sustainable budget without any tax increases. Read more
