Q&A with candidates for 7th District Senate, Brian Dansel and Tony Booth

1. What’s the most important thing the Legislature should do next session to comply with the Supreme Court’s McCleary decision on public school funding? Dansel: Priortize it by funding it first before developing other (programs’) budgets. Booth: We need to find out exactly what the budget is and go all the way down to the bottom line. 2. What’s the most important things the Legislature should do next session to improve the economy of the 7th District? Dansel: Remove unnecessary regulations and keep taxes low, don’t have a state income tax and have tax reform. Booth: Make it easier for employers to hire employees. Offer an education program (on the many state rules the state has for employers). 3. What should the Legislature do about the wolf problem in Northeast Washington? Dansel: Delist the wolf as a state endangered species and limit the number of wolves in the region. Booth: If a wolf is hurting your property or livestock…you should have the right to shoot the wolf on your property without going to a state agency. 4. If the state is faced with raising taxes or cutting programs for the 2015-17 budget, what tax would you raise or what program would you cut? Dansel: I don’t believe we need to raise taxes. I would cut the Department of Ecology and the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Booth: I’m definitely not for raising taxes. I’d favor cutting everything the same amount across the board, starting from the top. 5. Where do you stand on the three ballot issues: I-594 that would expand background checks for guns, I-591 that bans further background checks unless the federal government sets a national standard, and I-1351 that requires smaller class sizes in public schools? Dansel: For I-591; against I-594; for I-1351. “But I’ll always respect the wishes of the people.” Booth: For I-591; against I-594; for I-1351. “But I wonder where we’re going to get the money.”