State Representative, District -- 47, Position -- 1

Party: Democrat

Date of birth: December 31, 1962

Residence: 16624 SE 254 Place, Covington, WA 98042

Education: some college

Political offices held: Two terms on the Covington City Council, the first Mayor Pro Tem after Covington incorporation in 1997. - 1997-2002

Incumbent Representative, 47th LD Position 1 - 2000-2004

Public service and volunteer experience: State Rep. 47th LD 2000-2004, Covington City Council 1997-2002 / Mayor Pro Tem 1997-2000, Kent Youth and Family Services Board of Directors 2000-Present, Crestwood Elementary PTA member and volunteer 1995-present, Covington Rotary Club Charter Member 2004, Covington Lions Club member 1997-1998, S. King Co. Comm. Network Board Member 2000-2002, Hemophilia Foundation of Washington volunteer 1986-present, Kent Fire Department "Toys for Joy" Christmas Gift Program volunteer 1990-present, "Give Burns the Boot" Campaign volunteer 1990-present, member Joint Recommendations Committee for Community Development Block Grants 1999-2001, member International Association of Firefighters 1988-present, member Washington State Council of Firefighters 1990-present, 47th District Democrats member 1992-present, Kent Senior Center volunteer, Kent School District Career Day volunteer.

Endorsements: Children's Campaign Fund, Sierra Club, Kent Firefighters – IAFF 1747, Washington Health Care Association, Washington Conservation Voters,
Lakewood Firefighters – IAFF 1488, Washington State Patrol Troopers Association, Washington Federation of Teachers, Washington School Principals,
Washington School Administrators, SeaTac Firefighters - IAFF 2919, Washington Council of Police and Sheriffs, Richland Firefighters - IAFF 1052, Plumbers & Pipefitters UA 32, Active In Democracy, Puyallup Firefighters - IAFF 726,
Central WA Lawyers for Working Families, Bremerton Firefighters - IAFF 437, IUOE 302, Washington Federation of State Employees, IBEW Local 46,
Inlandboatmen's Union of the Pacific, Federal Way Firefighters - IAFF 2024,
W. WA Trial Lawyers for Victims' Rights, University Place Firefighters - IAFF 2105, Trucking Action Committee, WA State Dental PAC, UAW Region 5 - Western States, East King County Lawyer for Justice, Operating Engineers Local 609,
Renton Firefighters - IAFF 864, Marine Engineers' Beneficial Association,
Shoreline Firefighters - IAFF 1760, Humane USA, WA State Council of County and City Employees, Carpenters Local 1797, Bellevue Firefighters - IAFF 1604,
Washington NARAL, South King County Paramedics -IAFF 2595, Justice PAC, Teamsters Joint Council, Public School Employees of Washington, Sunnyside Firefighters - IAFF 3542, Washington Public Employees Association, Victims Advocate, Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers, Washington State Labor Council,
Street Pavers PAC, Service Employees International Union - Washington State Council, Edmonds Firefighters - IAFF 1828, WA Occupational Therapist's PAC,
Laborers Local 901, Eastside Fire & Rescue Firefighters - IAFF 2878,
Amalgamated Transit Union Local 587, WA State School Retirees, Progessive Majority (PROPAC Washington), Vancouver Firefighters - IAFF 452, North Highline Firefighters - IAFF 1810, United Psychologists PAC, United Transportation Union, King County Conservation Voters, Public Service and Ind. Employees Local 1239, Laborers Local 252, Washougal Firefighters - IAFF 2868,
Mental Health PAC, Washington State Chiropractic Association, International Union of Painters & Allied Trades, National Assoc. of Social Workers WA-PACE,
Pacific NW Regional Council of Carpenters, WA. St. Building & Construction Trades Council, Seattle Professional Firefighters - IAFF 27, Bellingham Firefighters - IAFF 106, IFPTE Local 17, Washington Women's Political Caucus,
Puget Sound Pilots, Laborers Local 614, UFCW 1105, Washington State Nurses Association, Spokane County District 8 Firefighters - IAFF 3711, Democracy for America, Spokane Firefighters - IAFF 29, OPEIU Local 8, and many individuals.

Campaign theme: Trusted. Experienced. Geoff Simpson works for us.

Questions for candidates

What are the biggest differences between you and your opponent(s)? As a firefighter and former city council member, I have always put protecting our families first. I have one of the strongest records in Olympia supporting working families. I also have a record of putting partisan politics aside to focus on solving problems, such as being the only Democrat to co-sponsor a Republican bill to toughen sentences for sex offenses against children. I support early childhood learning and intervention programs and the voter approved class-size reduction initiative.

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? Lowering the cost of prescriptions, increasing access to affordable health care, attracting new businesses, creating new jobs, reducing tax burden on the middle class and low income people, improving public education. I think we should 1st make sure gov't is more efficient and accountable by implementing performance audits and cutting waste where possible. Then we should close taxpayer subsidized corporate tax loopholes that are determined to be ineffective at creating jobs/bettering our economy.

Do you support the initiative to raise the sales tax 1 penny to raise money for schools and higher education? Yes, I am supporting the initiative. I have tried to make our schools, teachers and children a priority in Olympia for the past four years, and my efforts have been thwarted by partisan gridlock and skewed priorities. I am committed to moving forward with more early childhood learning, smaller class sizes, and more college enrollment slots. But we still need to make sure taxpayers are getting the best value for their investment in education by requiring accountability and efficiency.

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, I think it eliminates a voter's freedom to choose the candidate they think will do the best job. People should have the right to vote for any candidate they want to. I don't support the "top 2", because it emphasizes the importance of the primary election where only 30% vote and would restrict choices in the more important general election where 80% of people vote. I think we can do better than either of these choices, which is why I opposed changing from the "blanket" system that we had.

What do you think of the initiative to expand the use of slot machines to reduce taxes? I don't think that we need to have Las Vegas style gambling in Washington State in order to provide tax relief.

Contact

16624 SE 254 PL
COVINGTON, WA 98042
(253) 630-3498
geoff@votesimpson.com

Campaign Web site:
www.votesimpson.com