Working a full-time job in Whatcom County should earn you enough not just to survive, but to build a life. Our current tax system is one of the most regressive in the nation, asking the most from those who have the least. It’s time we stop balancing our state budget on the backs of working people and start ensuring that the wealthiest among us finally pay their fair share.

I am committed to identifying and pursuing progressive revenue sources that rebalance the scales of fairness. By ensuring that the ultra-wealthy contribute their part, we create the opportunity to deliver a direct source of relief for you and build a more stable community. I will fight to use these new revenue streams to lower the sales and property taxes that squeeze working families and seniors. Beyond taxes, I am dedicated to using our resources to expand affordable early childhood education and reform the outdated rules that allow hospital monopolies to grow while squeezing our nurses and limiting care options for patients.

My wife is a pediatrician and I’m a teacher, and it isn’t lost on me that if we both spent our days in the classroom, we couldn't afford a home in the community we serve. This isn't just a personal frustration; it’s a systemic failure. Serving on the board of the Kulshan Community Land Trust, I’ve seen how families are being pushed further and further away from their jobs and their schools. I believe housing is a fundamental human right and the primary predictor of a child’s success. You cannot study for a test or hold down a job if you don't know where you are sleeping tonight. We need a housing market that prioritizes neighbors over speculators.

It’s time to move past studies and start moving dirt. I will champion the Community Land Trust model to create permanent homeownership that stays affordable for generations. I’ll work to streamline the building restrictions that make middle housing nearly impossible to build. Most importantly, I will push to unlock underused public funds—like the millions sitting in our Economic Development Investment (EDI) account—to get workforce housing projects built now, not in five years.

My time working in D.C. taught me that a federal government can often feel out of touch, or even outright hostile, to the specific needs of our corner of the map. But I’ve also seen what happens when we stop waiting for a rescue. I watched the Lummi Nation lead a pandemic response that was more effective and compassionate than anything coming from the state or federal level. I’ve seen the Birchwood neighborhood step up to fight against the food desert created when a corporate grocery giant shut their doors and blocked others from moving in.

Whatcom County shouldn’t have to wait for permission to be prosperous or safe. In an era of national uncertainty, we need to put our community on a stronger, more independent footing. We must be ready to stand up for our values and protect our resources from federal overreach. I will advocate for a Resilience First approach in Olympia. This means strengthening our local food systems by supporting groups like the Birchwood Food Desert Fighters so no corporation can dictate our access to food. It means fiercely protecting local reproductive healthcare as a non-negotiable right and insulating our district’s resources from federal hostilities to ensure Whatcom County remains a safe haven for our families.