Your Voice in Olympia

I am extremely pleased and honored to once again be serving as a voice for Southwest Washington in the state Legislature. Thank you for giving me this opportunity! As your state lawmaker, I will be focusing on policies that:

• Ensure every student has opportunities to learn.
• Create more pathways that lead to successful careers after graduation.
• Expands economic prosperity to more families in our community.
• Provides the proper care and treatment to those suffering from a mental illness.

Again, thank you for the opportunity to represent you in Olympia.

Urgent action needed on school funding!

The House of Representatives voted on its first bill of the 2017 Legislative session this week – HB 1059. You may have heard this referred to as the “Levy Cliff” bill. In short, public schools will lose roughly $358 million in funding for the 2017-18 school year unless lawmakers act soon.

How will this impact our community? Vancouver school district stands to lose $2.6 million. And Evergreen School District – $4.5 million.

Click here for a more detailed explanation of the levy cliff bill. It’s time for the Legislature to step up and fully fund education!

Although this bill passed the House with bipartisan support, early indicators suggest that the Republican-controlled Senate will not bring the bill up for a vote. If that’s the case, teachers will receive layoff notices in the coming weeks and crowded classrooms will become even more crowded.

Students deserve stability in their schools. Passing this bill makes sure that school districts aren’t held hostage while the Legislature finds long-term solutions to the school funding problem.

Honoring Dr. King

I was honored to speak on the House floor last week to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King’s message is just as important today as it was during the Civil Rights Movement.

My message on the House floor was a simple one: Dr. King’s fight for equality and justice continues today, especially in our schools. Every child has potential, but only if they’re given support throughout their entire learning path. Too many children in Washington state fall behind because they aren’t given the same opportunities and the same resources as children in wealthier communities.

Dr. King would want us to act to make equality and justice a reality for all of God’s children.

(Click here to watch my speech.)  

Keep in Touch

I am here to serve you. Your feedback is important to me. Please call, write, email, or visit with your questions, comments, or concerns.

Monica