Every year we send our senators and representatives to Olympia to be our voice on important issues. But what about their voices? Our delegation’s issues are as diverse as the growing county they represent. So as the legislative session drew toward a close, we invited them to spend a minute with us to discuss their priorities. Eight of the nine accepted our offer (Sen. Don Benton, R-Vancouver, declined.)

Rep. Jim Moeller, D-Vancouver: Tax the wealthy to pay for schools

Washington state’s Constitution has an unusual clause: “It is the paramount duty of the state to make ample provision for the education of all children residing within its borders.” But legislators struggle to fulfill this duty, and have been sanctioned by the state Supreme Court and ordered to come up with a solution. Some like Moeller, who represents the county’s liberal lower left corner, believe the only way to solve the crisis is to examine the state’s tax structure and ask the wealthiest residents to pay more.

Rep. Liz Pike, R-Camas: The region’s most controversial topic

Three years after Washington Legislature killed Columbia River Crossing, conversations about new crossings or upgrades remains contentious. Pike and Rep. Sharon Wylie unsuccessfully pushed a measure that would have budgeted $100,000 to create a work group of lawmakers from both sides of the river to discuss how to reduce congestion over the Columbia River. Pike, a vocal CRC opponent who represents east and north Clark County, vows to try again next year.

Rep. Paul Harris, R-Vancouver: Vaping should be taxed

One of the final bills approved before lawmakers adjourned last week regulates the state’s growing vaping and e-cigarette industry. Harris, who represents the east part of the city, was a key proponent. Senate Bill 6328 will create a licensing system through the state’s Liquor and Cannabis Board for vapor distributors. Next session, Harris hopes to start taxing vaping to deter people from using the products and to increase state revenues.

Sen. Annette Cleveland, D-Vancouver: Address Vancouver’s affordable housing crisis

Sen. Annette Cleveland, D-Vancouver, made the lack of affordable housing in the region one of her top priorities this session. Cleveland, who represents west Vancouver, championed an idea to give local governments the ability to grant property tax breaks to landlords who offer affordable housing. The measure didn’t pass this session, but Cleveland said she will continue to advocate for more affordable housing in future sessions.

Rep. Lynda Wilson, R-Vancouver: Military recruiters need to be protected

Wilson, who represents east Vancouver, spearheaded an effort to allow members of the Washington National Guard to carry firearms after a gunman killed four U.S. Marines and a sailor at a military recruiting station in Tennessee.  Military personnel aren’t allowed to carry firearms at recruiting stations.  Wilson wrote a letter to Gov. Jay Inslee and gathered signatures from the rest of the region’s Republican delegation. When the effort failed, Wilson championed a budget proviso to use state money to pay for armed security guards at recruiting stations. The idea had some momentum, but ultimately didn’t pass. Wilson said she will continue to push for the budget proviso.

Rep. Brandon Vick, R-Felida: Remove the red tape on experimental drug trials

Vick, who represents north and east Clark County, sponsored a “right to try” law. The goals is to allow certain eligible patients to undergo treatment with experimental drugs that don’t yet have government approval. Vick said he believes the bill could save lives of patients who can’t wait for new drugs to be fully vetted. The measure failed, but Vick said he will reintroduce it next year.

Rep. Sharon Wylie, D-Vancouver: Effort to build a bridge dies again

Wylie thought Southwest Washington lawmakers wanted to send a clear message to their counterparts in Oregon: They are unified and ready to discuss a new crossing over Columbia River. That ended up to not be true, and the effort to revive discussions failed this session. After the Pike/Wylie bill died, Wylie, who represents west Vancouver, said “it may be too soon” to try to convince people to form a new bistate bridge coalition.

Rep. Ann Rivers, R-La Center: We can solve the school funding crisis

The first bill Gov. Jay Inslee signed during the 2016 session creates a task force made up of eight lawmakers and one facilitator from the governor’s office to keep the conversation about school funding going. Rivers, who represents the north and east parts of the county, played a key role in ensuring the measure passed. She believes the task force will put the state on track to solving the complicated process of an over-reliance on local levies and resolve the school funding crisis by 2018.

NOTE: These interviews mark the beginning of an experimental project of ours we’re calling “60 Seconds” in which we talk with local people about themselves and/or important topics for a minute, give or take a few seconds. Stay tuned for future episodes.