The Federal Way Mirror is hosting debates tonight for candidates in the Aug. 7 primary elections. Debates will take place at the Federal Way High School little theatre, at South 308th Street and Pacific Highway South (click here for a map).
Tonight’s forum features candidates for District 30 state representative. Position 1 candidates take the stage 5 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 10. Position 2 candidates take the stage 6:30 to 8 p.m. There will be a brief intermission. Federal Way resident Jim Burbidge will moderate the debate. The audience can submit questions for candidates at the debate.
POSITION 1
• Linda Kochmar, a Republican: Kochmar has served on the Federal Way City Council since 1997, including stints as mayor, deputy mayor and chairwoman of multiple committees. She has twice been elected as chairwoman of the Suburban Cities Public Issues Committee. Kochmar is a risk manager at Lakehaven Utility District, where she has worked 33 years.
• Roger Flygare, a Democrat: Flygare owns a small court reporting business. He has worked with state lawmakers to pass bills related to the court reporting profession, such as license requirements and protection of job performance. So far, Flygare has raised the most money among all state representative candidates with $38,665, according to the PDC.
• Tony Moore, a Republican: Moore was appointed to the Federal Way School Board in 2008, and currently serves as board president. Moore has been behind the recently-enacted accelerated academics and standards based education policies. He narrowly lost to Tracey Eide (D) in the 2010 race for State Senate. In 2011, he ran unopposed in his re-election to the school board.
• Thom Macfarlane, a Democrat: Macfarlane officially announced his candidacy April 12. He has a background in the information technology field and promises, if elected, to advocate for job creation, economic development, education reform and veterans.
• Jerry Galland, a Republican: Galland ran for the other state representative position when it was an open seat in 2010, but lost in the primary. He also ran for South King Fire and Rescue commissioner in 2011 against incumbent James Fossos. He operates a blog that shares his views on the fire district.
POSITION 2
• Rick Hoffman, a Democrat: Hoffman is a political newcomer who serves on the board for the Martin Luther King County Labor Council and works as an electrical engineer at Boeing. Education is his top priority, along with housing and jobs.
• Roger Freeman, a Democrat: Freeman, an attorney who works with parents dealing with Child Protective Services, was elected to the Federal Way City Council in 2009. His most notable accomplishment since taking office is reviving the city’s annual Martin Luther King Celebration.
• Katrina Asay, a Republican: For position 2, incumbent Katrina Asay, a former mayor of Milton, faces two challengers. Asay was elected to the state representative seat vacated by Skip Priest, who became Federal Way’s first elected mayor in 2010. Asay helped pass tougher legislation related to illegal cash for gold sales. NOTE: Asay will not be attending tonight’s debate. Here is a letter from Asay that the moderator will read tonight:
Dear Friends,
One of the hardest things about being your state representative is trying to be everywhere I am requested to be. Sometimes the choices are tough and when they are, I make the choice based on the long-term benefit for the people of our district. Such it is with the choice I made for tonight.
I was asked to join a small group of legislators in traveling to San Diego at my own expense to learn about the life and needs of our Navy veterans. As much as I wanted to be with you tonight, I was not able to justify campaigning — being at the forum tonight — over doing the job that you elected me to do.
As always, I will be available to meet with you one-on-one or in a group upon my return later this week. Please feel free to give me a call on my cellphone at (253) 332-8483 to set up a time should you desire to do so. Thank you for your understanding.
Below are just a few things we accomplished for our district over the past two years.
The citizens asked for safer communities and I drafted and passed two major pieces of legislation dealing with property crimes.
The citizens asked for more jobs for Federal Way and Senator Eide and I worked together to bring a $2.5 million grant to Federal Way for the infrastructure needed to support redevelopment in the downtown area.
The citizens asked for help when a non-profit organization for kids was being unfairly taxed and Senator Eide and I drafted and passed legislation helping that organization and the youth.
The citizens asked for financing for the next phase of the improvements of the triangle project at I-5 and Hwy 18 and we were able to secure $1.5 million for that endeavor.
The citizens asked for accountability from Sound Transit for the $12 million Federal Way sends them each year and we drafted new legislation that did just that.
Again, thank you for taking the time to be here tonight and for accepting my apology for not being able to.
Sincerely,
Katrina
COMING UP
• July 21: U.S. Congress, District 9. Five candidates will take the stage 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 21.
Monday, July 9, was the last day to register to vote for the August primary election. Residents of King County can check their registration status by visiting the county’s My Voter Guide portion of kingcounty.gov/elections or by calling the voter hotline at (206) 296-8683.
Ballots for the vote-by-mail election will be sent to voters in mid-July.
For more details on local candidates for state Legislature and Congress, click here.
