The Times endorses
Collaborative spirit in Eastside races

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The Times is endorsing candidates in selected races who are part of that new collaborative spirit or who will add to it.

41st Legislative District

• For the state House positions, we endorse incumbents Fred Jarrett and Judy Clibborn for their thoughtful, pragmatic approaches.

Republican Jarrett deserves re-election for his leadership in pushing for the controversial but necessary 5-cent gas tax for transportation in 2003. He is a wise voice for tinkering with state systems in smart and targeted ways, whether for accountability in state agencies or targeting higher education dollars at high-demand fields.

Democrat Clibborn is a clear choice over her opponent, charter schools advocate Fawn Spady, who has lived in the district only two years. A former Mercer Island mayor and nurse, Clibborn is well in touch with her district and wants to expand the state's drug-purchasing pool so residents can benefit. Unlike Clibborn, Spady opposes Initiative 884 and would try to find more money for education through performance audits and user fees for higher education.

Performance audits are a good idea, but no way will they turn up the money to cure the state's financial neglect of K-12 and higher education.

• In the Senate race, Jim Horn, with his experience and expertise, has the edge over a promising challenger. As Senate Transportation chairman, Horn is in a good position to help the problem-plagued Eastside. Critics have a point that he could be more constructive in helping solve regional transportation challenges, but he successfully pushed the 5-cent gas tax last year.

Challenger Brian Weinstein has the right values of wanting to fully fund education and change the business climate but has undeveloped ideas about how to proceed. He seems overly anxious to raise taxes, which might not bode well for regions of the state not as affluent as his neighbors.

45th Legislative District

• In the district's Position 2, Democrat Larry Springer is the clear choice for this seat now held by Laura Ruderman, who is running for another office.

Springer — with 11 years on the Kirkland City Council, four as mayor — is years ahead of his opponent in dealing with public-policy issues on the Eastside. His record of fiscal conservatism and more moderate views makes him the easy choice over opponent Jeffrey Possinger.

A Duvall City Council member for less than two years, Possinger is smart and sincere, but ran hard to the right — pro-gun rights and anti-abortion — during the primary.

48th Legislative District

• Democrat Ross Hunter and Republican Rodney Tom make a solid bipartisan team representing the district in the House of Representatives. Both worked their respective sides of the aisle on important education issues.

Hunter was the surprise Democrat elected in this historically Republican district two years ago. He faces a strong challenger in James Whitfield, a former state Republican Party executive board member.

In his two years, Hunter quickly established himself as an expert on education issues — a status that will continue in importance — and supports I-884. Whitfield, who works for a health-care foundation, is a good candidate who offers insight on health-care issues that bucks Republican ideology. Although he does not make a compelling case to throw out Hunter, we'd like to see this candidate again in another race.

Tom also deserves a return to Olympia for his moderate, realistic mindset. He can legitimately be proud of a condominium-liability reform that pleased both builders who were hesitant to develop and environmentalists wanting to encourage density.

His opponent, Debi Golden, would like to ensure all children under 18 years old have health-care coverage, in part by boosting Medicaid income-eligibility levels. But she seems not to have a way to pay for it considering the state's ongoing budget crisis.

Tomorrow: Endorsements for the 5th Legislative District