State Senator, District -- 10

Party: Democrat

Date of birth: January 14, 1941

Residence: 1268 Olsen Rd, Camano Island WA 98282

Education: Mount Vernon Beauty School; Twin City High School

Political offices held: Stanwood-Camano School Board - 11 years
State House - 10 years
State Senate - 12 years

Public service and volunteer experience: United Methodist Church, Camano Chamber, Friends of Camano Parks, League of Women Voters, Eastern Star, Utsalady Ladies Aid

Endorsements: Washington State Farm Bureau
Northwest Washington Central Labor Council AFL-CIO
NARAL Pro-Choice Washington
United Transportation Union
Washington Council of Police & Sheriffs
IBEW Local Union 191
Washington State Patrol Troopers Association
Washington Federation of State Employees, AFSCME AFL-CIO
Children's Campaign Fund
Women's Political Caucus of Washington State
Law Enforcement Administrators of Washington
Public School Employees of Washington
Aerospace Machinists Industrial District Lodge 751
National Federation of Independent Business/Washington State Save America's Free Enterprise Trust
Teamsters Local Union No. 117
Washington Public Employees Association, UFCW Local 365
Washington Restaurant Association
International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, Local 17
National Association of Social Workers PACE
Washington State Nurses Association

Campaign theme: Mary Margaret is an effective, hardworking legislator who gets results.

Questions for candidates

What are the biggest differences between you and your opponent(s)? Experience

What are your highest priorities for state government? If you had to close the projected $1 billion gap between state government revenues and expenses, how would you do it? Funding of education. Improving our economy and investment in infrastructure Family wage jobs and affordable health care I support the continued use of the priorities of government model to identify what are the most important investments. Closing the gap will require a combination of cuts, closing loopholes, and some increases in fees or taxes.

Do you support the initiative to raise the sales tax 1 penny to raise money for schools and higher education? While I support the need for increased funding for early childhood to higher education, it seems to me that raising the sales tax by 1 penny would cause real problems. In central Puget Sound the sales tax rate is almost 9 cents, and counties, cities, and special districts depend on that source of funding. This increase would only make our regressive tax system worse.

Are you happy with Washington's new primary? Are you supporting the initiative that would give Washington a "top 2" primary system that the parties oppose? No, the majority of people in my district consider themselves independents and they feel disenfranchised by the new primary. Yes, I am supporting the initiative.

What do you think of the initiative to expand the use of slot machines to reduce taxes? I am opposed to any expansion of gambling.

Contact

1268 OLSEN RD
CAMANO ISLAND, WA 98282
(360) 387-5181
marymargarethaugen2@msn.com

Campaign Web site:
www.Haugen2004.org