Name

Ruth Kagi

Position

Sought

State Rep 32^nd District  #2

Campaign

Address

19553 35^th NE

Campaign

Manager

Self

City

Lake Forest Park

Phone Number

206- 365-1137

State

WA

Fax Number

Same

Zip Code

98155

E-mail Address

Kagi@seanet.com

Precinct

32-0734

Web Page

www.ruthkagi.org

Present Occupation

Incumbent? How Long?

State Representative  8 years

Commercial real estate

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

(Leave Blank – For Committee Use Only)

Employer

State and self

Union Affiliations

WHAT RATINGS AND ENDORSEMENTS HAVE YOU RECEIVED?

Legislative District(s)/Unions

Municipal League

Women’s Political Caucus

SeaMEC

Endorsed – 32^nd Dist. Dems, IAM&AW,AFSME, WA Machinists’ Council,

ATULC

Outstanding 2002

Very good 2004

2006 rating not out yet

Endorsed

Don’t know

PLEASE ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS.

#

Question

Yes

No

Qualified*

1.

Are you a Democrat? Are you known as a Democrat?  If not, explain.

x

2.

Do you support the King County Democratic Platform?

x

3.

Do you support the right of workers (excluding military) to bargain and strike?

x

4.

Do you support affirmative action?

x

5.

Do you support freedom of choice in contraception, abortion and sterilization? 

x

6.

Do you support public funding for abortions for poor women?

x

7.

Do you support school vouchers?  Do you support charter schools?

x

8.

Do you support the Davis-Bacon Act?

x

9.

Do you support equal rights for women?

x

10.

Do you support the Patriot Act?

x

11.

Do you support the restoration of voting rights to persons convicted of a felony who have served their sentence?

x

12.

How long have you been registered to vote?  Have you missed any elections in the last three years?         Registered 40 years

x

If you answer “yes” to any of the following questions please explain on a separate sheet of paper.

Yes

No

14.

Have you ever failed to pay any taxes or court ordered judgments?

  x

15.

Have you ever been found in violation of a Public Disclosure Commission, Federal Election Commission or Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission regulation?

   x

16.

Have you ever been convicted of a felony?

    x

PLEASE ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS

(YOU MAY USE A SEPARATE SHEET OF PAPER FOR ANSWERS)

1. Are you a member of another political party? If so, which ones? Have you ever supported or given money to a candidate from another party in a partisan race? If so, whom?  No except for Dan Evans and Ralph Monroe.

2. Are you a member of your local Democratic District Party?  Have you contributed financially to any Democratic Organization?  Have you been a Precinct Committee Officer? When/Where?

I am a member and PCO for the 32^nd District.

3. What are the main messages of your campaign? What is your campaign plan?  How many doors have you knocked on to date, pieces of mail planned, budgeting, staffing? Why will you win? What is the fundraising goal for your campaign?  How much have you raised to date?

My legislative priorities for next year are to improve the quality and accessibility of early learning, including increased vendor rates, and to reform and strengthen our K-12 and higher education systems.  I will continue to focus on improving foster care and educational outcomes for foster children.  Oversight of TANF and programs for developmentally disabled people will be additional areas of concern.

I plan to raise $45,000, primarily to support building the Democratic majority in the House.  I have raised $23,000 to date.  I plan to doorbell for other candidates as I have nominal opposition.

4. What are the single most pressing issues facing your jurisdiction?   What actions would you take if elected?

Funding for K-12 and community college education are high on the public’s agenda in the 32^nd District.  It is critically important that we reform and increase funding in both areas, while assuring that students are receiving the education that they need and deserve in order to obtain family wage jobs in this state.

5. If you are a candidate in a contested primary race, what record of performance, ability, experience, personal qualities, and positions on issues distinguish you from your opponent(s)? If you do not receive the nomination, is there any reason you could not support your Democratic opponent in the general election? Please explain.

NA

6. Do you believe the current structure of taxes and/or fees that generate funds in your area are fair?  If not, how would you change it?

No I don’t and I support an income tax but am not oprtimistic that we will ever have the political will to enact one.  I am willing to explore many options for raising revenues as I believe they will be necessary to adequately fund needed wage and benefit increases, education costs, and health care cost increases.

7. How would you balance continued growth, the quality of the environment and declining petroleum and energy resources?   What is the role of the Critical Area Ordinance (CAO)?

I believe that we should continue to concentrate growth into urban areas, and try to protect our rural and greenbelt areas.  We also should continue to provide incentives for the development of alternative energy sources, and mandates to assure that we as a state are a leader in alternative energy use.

8. The caucus system helps Democratic Party members in a legislative body work together and stick together.  Do you support determining leadership positions and committee chair positions solely within the ranks of the Democratic Caucus?  Yes

9. What role should government play in the healthcare system?  Besides providing health care coverage to state employees and other mandated groups, the state should use its funding position to encourage evidence based practice, to negotiate lower drug prices for as many Washington residents as possible, and to encourage more efficient and cost effective medical practices.

10.  What is your position on civil rights for Gay. Lesbian, bisexual and trans gendered people? What is your position on equal rights for same-sex couples when it comes to benefits, civil unions, marriage and parental rights?  I voted for the civil rights bill and would vote for a civil unions bill. 

11. What creative solutions can you offer to address the problems of the economically disadvantaged?

As Chair of the Children and Family Services Committee in the House, I am a strong advocate for the economically disadvantaged.  With the revised TANF regulations, Congress and the Administration are making it increasingly difficult to provide meaningful training to TANF recipients, and help them get living wage jobs.  I am working with the Governor’s Office to develop a program to assure that families get the support and training they need in order to get off of TANF and be able to support their children.  It is going to require the creative use of other program resources and significant state funding in order to accomplish this, because of the new restrictions on the use of federal funds. 

12. What would you like us to know about you?

I have benefited greatly from the opportunities that have been provided to me, and have devoted my adult life to creating opportunities to disadvantaged and disenfranchised individuals in this society.  I believe that we must begin early in order to eliminate the growing economic disparities in our society.  Over 40% of our children are starting kindergarten behind, and most stay behind.  If we are to build a more equitable society, we must give parents and children the support and experiences necessary in order to start school on an even playing field.

In the interests of strengthening the Democratic Party and the ability of the Party to support me or any other candidate, I pledge to uphold high ethical standards.  I am responsible for the content of literature, advertising, and statements disseminated by my campaign.  If my campaign releases information regarding my opponent(s), I pledge that any such release will allow reasonable time for verification by the voters.

Signature

Ruth Kagi

Date

8-19-06