This originally appeared in The Seattle Times on Nov. 1, 1996

Seattle Times endorsements: The 1st and 5th Legislative districts

Growth management and education are high-priority issues in two suburban legislative districts with hotly contested races.

The 1st District covers Juanita, Kenmore, Woodinville, Bothell and Kingsgate in King County; plus Brier and Mountlake Terrace in south Snohomish County. These areas feel the pinch of land-use planning policy that fills in diminishing building sites with higher-density housing and helps fill classrooms to overflowing. The district takes pride in its schools and draws community identity from them.

1st District

The endorsement for House Pos. 1 goes to Democrat Al O'Brien, who recently retired from 29 years with the Seattle Police Department. He has served the past five years on the Montlake Terrace City Council and on the planning commission before that. Republican Tim Olsen has put in nearly two years preparing for this race, but he falls short of O'Brien's experience as a local elected official, former street cop, law-enforcement policy writer and lecturer on public-policy issues.

Lynnwood resident and longtime Edmonds School Board member Judy Janes is endorsed over one-term Republican incumbent Mike Sherstad, a building contractor. He was weak on growth management, transportation and education two years ago and has shown no improvement. Janes, who is president of a small family business, worked her way up through the PTA ranks to chair the school board.Her hard work and leadership on a topic vital to the district are a compelling combination.

Republican first-term legislator Ian Elliot created the open seat in Pos. 1 when he decided to challenge incumbent Democratic state Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe, who completes a four-year term. She went from the Northshore School Board to Olympia, where she chaired the Senate education committee. A deeply flawed charter-school initiative sits unchallenged on the November ballot without a workable alternative crafted by the Legislature because of McAuliffe's intransigence. A bill passed the House with bipartisan support but was stopped dead in her Senate committee.

Elliot, a land-use consultant, appears to have moved toward the center after two years in Olympia. For this Senate race, he was rated higher than McAuliffe by the Municipal League. We agree.

5th District

Four years ago, Democrat Kathleen Drew was endorsed over Republican Dino Rossi for a key Eastside state Senate seat, and she is still favored in a closely watched rematch. Rossi, a commercial real-estate broker, narrowly lost when his pro-choice position on abortion cost him GOP support. This time, he has the party behind him _ despite some sparring with his defeated primary opponent -- and is hammering Drew for her support of a 1993 tax increase.

Drew is still a good fit for a district that sprawls from Issaquah and the Sammamish Plateau to Black Diamond and Enumclaw, from suburban enclaves to rural areas that feel the pressure of development. She is a strong supporter of public education, the Growth Management Act and the mix of transportation options offered by the Regional Transit Authority.

This will be a tough re-election for Drew, who faces a good candidate and unified opposition.

Incumbent Rep. Brian Thomas, a Republican, is strongly endorsed for another two-year term in House Pos. 1. Thomas is a leader in Olympia and a moderating influence in an often combative, fractious GOP caucus. His years of service on the Issaquah School Board give him a solid base on education issues. His Democratic opponent, Steven W. Pulcino, was rated ``not qualified'' by the Municipal League. Bill Elder, an unsuccessful candidate for Port of Seattle commissioner last year, is running as an independent.

House Pos. 2 features another rematch between Republican incumbent Phil Dyer and Democrat Mary Scott. Dyer used his insurance expertise in Olympia on health-care issues, and it will be useful as the Legislature weighs expansion of the Basic Health Plan. Unfortunately, his own caucus ignored his advice at key points of the health-care debate. Term limits would make this Dyer's last two-year term if he is re-elected.

Scott teaches seventh grade in the Tahoma School District and has served for 15 years on the Issaquah School Board. She is an excellent candidate, who will have another opportunity for service in Olympia.

Four years ago, the voters in the 5th elected a legislative team in Democrat Drew and Republicans Thomas and Dyer that may be the brightest, most influential in the state. The 5th should stick with a winning combination.