State Representative, District -- 45, Position -- 1

Party: Republican

Date of birth: March 26, 1959

Residence: Kirkland

Education: Attended California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Political offices held: State Representative, 45th District (since 2002); Vice Chair, House Republican Caucus; Vice Chair, Joint Administrative Rules Review Committee; Assistant Ranking Member, Technology, Telecommunications and Energy Committee; Precinct Committee Officer.

Public service and volunteer experience: Member of Board of Directors, Youth Eastside Services; President, Kingsgate Highlands 3&4 Homeowners Association; volunteer for youth swim and baseball teams; PTSA member; Chamber of Commerce member; church food and clothing bank volunteer; Boy Scouts merit badge counselor; Sunday School teacher; Jaycees treasurer; many others.

Endorsements: Washington Conservation Voters; National Federation of Independent Business "Guardian of Small Business" Award Winner; Washington State Farm Bureau; Affordable Housing Council; Association of Washington Business; Public School Employees of Washington; National Rifle Association; Mainstream Republicans; Washington Council of Police and Sheriffs; Washington State Council of Fire Fighters; Seattle King-County Association of REALTORS®; Washington State Nurses Association; see web site for many more.

Campaign theme: Keep Representative Toby Nixon working for our families.

Questions for candidates

What are the biggest differences between you and your opponent(s)? I am an experienced, knowledgable leader in the legislature, in industry, and in the community, committed to the fundamental principles upon which our country was founded and that made it great -- individual liberty, personal responsibility, limited government, and tolerance of others.

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? My top legislative priorities are to keep our communities safe for our families, to enable private-sector economic development and job creation while preserving our environment, and to restore trust in government. I strongly support the Priorities in Government process to identify those essential services that can be performed only by government; other services can be transitioned in a non-disruptive fashion back to the private, non-profit and charitable sectors.

Do you support the initiative to raise the sales tax 1 penny to raise money for schools and higher education? Our school funding system is broken, designed before education reform and inadequate for the high expectations we have today. We simply micro-manage too much from Olympia! During the 2004 legislative session, I strongly supported a comprehensive study of our school funding system, to enable innovation at the local level and to insure that existing funds are being spent wisely. Until we correct the system, it makes no sense to just pour more money into it, and so I do not support I-884.

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? I opposed the bill in the legislature that created our new primary system. Instead, I sponsored HB 1925, which would eliminate the primary entirely and use ranked choice voting, also known as instant runoff voting, in the November election. Such a system would maximize voter choices, eliminate the “spoiler effect” of third parties, and save the $6 million cost of running a primary election each year. I endorse Initiative 318 which is now being circulated; for more information, see www.irvwa.org.

What do you think of the initiative to expand the use of slot machines to reduce taxes? While I discourage people from gambling due to the problems it can cause, government should not ban gambling, and privately-owned casinos should be able to offer the same games as tribal casinos. However, communities must have the power to separate gambling establishments from schools and residential neighborhoods as was proposed in HB 1667; until such a law is passed, we cannot allow every bingo parlor or bar or restaurant that sells pull tabs to become a full-fledged casino.

Contact

12113 NE 141st St
Kirkland, WA 98034
(425) 823-9779
toby@tobynixon.com

Campaign Web site:
www.tobynixon.com