Interviewing Washington legislators gave me perspective on politics | Opinion

My name is Noah Lamberton. I am going into my senior year at SAMI High School in Tacoma. I am interested in public healthcare access for low-income communities because my family has a long history in healthcare.

Both of my parents work in the medical field, and most of my grandparents worked in healthcare for many years. Two of my grandfathers co-founded the only hospital in the small rural Washington town of Brewster that had no easy access to healthcare previously.

Alongside accessible healthcare, I am interested in the issues surrounding public education because of an internship I did in the spring, where I worked closely with the Tacoma Public Schools Finance Department. While I was in this internship, I was able to gain a lot of insider knowledge on the financial crisis that the district is currently working through.

As we all walked in and introduced ourselves to Michelle Caldier, I was certainly nervous to meet someone with such a powerful voice in Washington State politics; yet my curiosity to learn more about her and her political stance outweighed any feelings of unease. Once we actually got to sit down and begin our discussion, it felt like any casual conversation with a family member. She was very open and enthusiastic to answer any questions we had for her, and it ended up being an incredible and unique experience.

I think what surprised me the most about Caldier was how knowledgeable she was on a wide variety of topics and issues. With a background in dentistry, she was able to speak on different medical related topics, while also proving to have a strong understanding of other issues such as state and school finances as well as issues surrounding childcare, homelessness and law enforcement. C

aldier, when asked about her stance on the lack of fluoride in Gig Harbor and Bremerton’s water systems, stated, “If fluoridation is what communities want to have and they vote for it then they should be able to.”

She spoke on homelessness and the importance of providing assistance to people in need saying, “Programs should be put in place to protect the most vulnerable in our state.”

What she really made me consider from a different perspective was how nuanced the housing crisis is, and how it’s not necessarily only due to an increase in the cost of homes, but also the increased difficulty of building new homes and developments due to inflation, tax increases and other factors. Caldier best represents the local business owners and entrepreneurs of Washington.

Getting to sit down and talk with Deb Krishnadasan, it became apparent that she is most passionate and well-spoken about public education. She has an extensive background in public schools, as she served two terms on the Peninsula School Board before becoming its president. While on the board she led five successful levy and bond campaigns. Thanks to her efforts, the district was able to fund educational programs, build four new schools and remodel schools.

“We have to provide education to all,” she said. She intends to continue working to help Washington’s public education system through her legislation.

Krishnadasan values community input. She normally spends two to three hours a day getting voter input and she plans to continue doorbelling and bringing the community into the conversation even in non-election years. “I think it’s important to do that so you understand what your voters are going through,” she stated.

When doorbelling through Gig Harbor neighborhoods alongside Krishnadasan to learn more about the process, I found she made sure to ask voters what they were most concerned about and took the time to listen to what they had to say. She emphasized, “Listening to all sides and bringing them together,” as her philosophy when conversing with voters. In her legislation, Krishnadasan will best represent many different groups including working families, especially those with children in public school, teachers, union workers, and people who use SNAP benefits, Medicaid and other programs.

This is one in a series of five op-eds submitted by students of private teacher Mimmi Beck, who interviewed local politicians.