This is part 1 in a series of Q&As with candidates for local office in the Nov. 4 general election. This week: Drew Hansen and James Olsen, 23rd District state House of Representatives, position 2.
DREW HANSEN
Residence: Bainbridge Island.
Occupation: Legislator, lawyer.
Education: B.A., Harvard University; B.A., Oxford University (Rhodes Scholar); J.D., Yale.
Relevant experience: I have served in the Washington state House of Representatives since 2011, focusing on job training and higher education. Before I entered the Legislature, I served for many years on the Olympic College Foundation board, helping students from Kitsap County realize their dreams of a college education, and I volunteered on several school levy campaigns so we can keep supporting our public schools. I have also been active in my church (Bethany Lutheran). In my non-legislative life, I practice law at Susman Godfrey LLP, where I am a partner, and I have taught part-time at the University of Washington Law School. I live on Bainbridge Island with my family, where we have two young children in public school.
Q: What are the top issues in this campaign?
Hansen: Jobs and education.
Q: What are your priorities if elected?
Hansen: I will continue working on bipartisan legislation to help people train for better-paying jobs. For example, I’m working with a Republican representative from Issaquah on a bipartisan proposal to expand our computer science professional workforce, which will help local employers like Paladin, Avalara, and the U.S. Navy with the workforce that they need. I successfully passed a bipartisan bill to expand AP computer science in high schools last year (working with the same Republican representative) and I look forward to building on that work.
Q: How would you accomplish those priorities?
Hansen: I have regular meetings or conference calls with my Republican counterparts in the House, where we work cooperatively on legislation.
Q: Regarding bipartisanship, provide some examples of how you’ve worked cooperatively with someone of another political party to reach consensus or accomplish a goal.
Hansen: I’ve built a track record of working across party lines to propose common-sense, practical solutions to our state’s problems. For example, I worked very closely with a Republican representative from Whidbey Island on a series of bills to protect our marine and recreation industry jobs by getting derelict and abandoned vessels out of our waters. These bills passed the House and the Senate with large bipartisan majorities, and I was proud to see them signed into law.
Q: What experience do you have that makes you most qualified for the position you seek?
Hansen: In my past term in the Legislature, Gov. Inslee signed eight of my bills into law, most of which focused on jobs: helping veterans get into college courses, training more kids for high-paying jobs in computer science, and helping small businesses work with community colleges to train their workers. I’ve worked closely with legislators from both parties to move these bills forward, and I look forward to doing similar work if I am elected in 2014.
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CAPT. JAMES M. OLSEN, USCGR (ret).
Residence: Bainbridge Island.
Occupation: Principal, real-estate investment and rental firm.
Education: Bachelor of arts, Hobart College, 1972. Various professional courses of study at Naval War College, National Defense University, and U.S. Coast Guard training.
Relevant experience: As a U.S. Coast Guard officer (30 years, retired O-6), developed critical relevant experience in leadership, port security, environmental protection, naval coastal warfare and strategic planning. In addition, relevant experience as a successful small-business creator/principal navigating taxes, regulation, and free-market competition. Also, I have been an activist on Bainbridge Island working for governmental fiscal restraint and respect for the taxpayers.
Q: What are the top issues in this campaign?
Olsen: As a reform conservative, I stand with the middle-, struggling-, and under-class in their search for honest employment. U.S. has 92 million unemployed with far too many in Kitsap and Washington State. Top issue: Create an environment for private-sector jobs. I will do this through regulatory streamlining reform and tax incentives. Campaign motto: Jobs, jobs, jobs. Legislature must attract new business for our highly skilled workforce. I aggressively champion use of innovation to retain big and small business in Washington. Private-sector jobs will raise families out of cycle of poverty and pay revenues back to the government. Key element of this priority: fully fund K-12 education system to produce higher-quality graduates. Legislature must solve this $4 billion education funding 2015 legislative first-order-of-business. If there is a funding shortfall, I vehemently oppose a state income tax. Olympia must live within their budget just as citizens do every day.
Q: What are your priorities if elected?
Olsen: Priority 1: As a reform conservative, my first order of business is fully funding K-12 education to resolve Washington Supreme Court contempt-of-court ruling. Independent analysis of our K-12 reveals significant performance shortfalls. Full funding must be linked to serious innovative education reform. Money is not the missing ingredient to educational success: Reform is the answer. Our children deserve a world-class education system.
Priority 2: Our K-12 and higher education graduates must have skill sets that are in alignment with the needs of our newly expanding and innovative companies. Legislature must demand Superintendent of Education/Board of Regents conduct independent performance audits to attain this alignment.
Priority 3: 2015 Transportation Bill must be passed with sole focus — increase mobility and traffic flow. Infrastructure shortfalls must be addressed to protect welfare of citizens and commerce.
Q: How would you accomplish those priorities?
Olsen: As a reform conservative, key emphasis on reforming Olympia governmental agencies. On looming issue of K-12 contempt-of-court ruling, I will call for a 2015 special session. Extremely complex issues challenge us in remedying current disparate K-12 funding options. I will work collaboratively with the Democrat legislators to develop the correct funding resolution.
Additionally, education stakeholders, including school superintendents (279 districts) and teachers unions (WEA/NEA, SEIU) must be brought together to use 21st Century innovation and technology to eliminate performance failures (40 percent dropout rate, low test scores). Education is key to the future health and prosperity of Washington State. Full-funding will be 2015 first order of business. I will resist state income tax option as a new “revenue flow.” Also, large and small industry must be active partners to ensure our K-12/higher ed graduate skills are in alignment with industry emerging needs.
Q: Regarding bipartisanship, provide some examples of how you’ve worked cooperatively with someone of another political party to reach consensus or accomplish a goal.
Olsen: For the past 30 years in Kitsap, I have collaboratively worked in community where attainment of mission is paramount, not political affiliation. Instead of an Olympia “crossing-the-aisle” example, I cite my 30-year U.S. Coast Guard assignments working with a full spectrum of agencies, NGOs, industries, who, in a way, are “political affiliates” with particular concerns and issues. For example, when on an oil-spill response I always was able to collaboratively and professionally find the common-ground solution employing the law, organizational charts, personalities, and goals/outcomes.
I mastered solving complex challenges by treating all parties with respect and professionalism. Representing the commandant at the Pentagon, I navigated the Byzantine and political world of competing interests. I have superior negotiation skills and a keen sense of the political cross currents in our complex governmental world. For the Coast Guard commandant, I was appointed coordinator of three 10-nation Pacific Rim Coast Guards conferences requiring diplomacy, tact, and sensitivity to competing interests. Attendees included Australia, Russia, China, Japan and Korea.
Q: What experience do you have that makes you the most qualified for the position you seek?
Olsen: As a reform conservative, I uniquely champion solving the systemic problems troubling our Washington government, i.e. K-12 funding, WSF/WSDOT/DSHS failures. My goal: reform Olympia agencies using performance audits, innovation, and blood, sweat and tears. While my opponent speaks like a candidate for college guidance counselor, I aim for the serious problems undermining Washington’s economy and future. My experience as a working-class individual, a regular visitor to Walmart, Lowe’s and Home Depot, instills in me the realities of our working-class people struggling with our under-performing economy.
I am the independent candidate, not a safe backbencher or lobbyist beneficiary. My sole allegiances: 23rd Legislative District’s 119,000 constituents and the Washington Constitution. I speak bluntly: oppose the income tax; support the two-thirds supermajority amendment; demand accountable limited government and call for help/jobs for our working and not-working classes.
I have unbounded optimism and confidence that Washington State can attain serious reform and growth to the benefit of all. I alone in this race have the vision, passion, and drive to work for that noble goal.
