2015 Candidate Questionnaire for Carin Chase
(Endorsed 7.11.2015)
Candidate For: Edmonds School Director, District 1
Party Affiliation(s): Democrat
Consultant: Sound Strategies, Bill Phillips
Campaign Manager: Maralyn Chase
Campaign Email: carinchase@hotmail.com , Campaign Phone: 425 312-3056
Website: TBD – coming soon www.carin4schools.com
Campaign Address: PO Box 1944, Lynnwood WA 98046
Do you request the endorsement of the Progressive Caucus? Yes
Other Democratic Party (Legislative District or County) Endorsements:
Snohomish County Democrats, 32 nd LD Democrats, King County Young Democrats
• Other Progressive Endorsements (Unions, etc).
National Women’s Political Caucus of Washington, Sierra Club
Labor: Do you support raising the minimum wage in your local jurisdiction if
state and federal action continues to be stalled? To what level?
Yes, I support raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour. People who work full
time should have sufficient wages to pay for their basic necessities. 45% of our
school children qualify for free and reduced lunches. Even though their parents are
working full time, their income level is so low that they cannot make ends meet.
Furthermore, our tax system is the most regressive in the entire United States. The
lowest earning workers pay the highest rate of taxes. If you are low income you
pay the highest tax rate but if you are wealthy, you pay the lowest tax rate.
Education: What is your opinion of high stakes testing?
I am 100% opposed to high stakes testing. These are discriminatory, against our
children, do not serve our economy or our society.
How would you change the way students and teachers are evaluated?
Different children have different interests. There must be a way to evaluate their
progress toward learning about their own interests. We need to evaluate children
based upon learning progress. Teachers should be evaluated based upon their
teaching professionalism not by some abstract notion that they are responsible for
the performance of a student taking a test.
Environment: What can be accomplished at the local level to promote
development of alternative energy and prevent privatization of natural resources?
Our state does not have a shortage of energy but we can do more. We should
concentrate on the most cost effective source of alternative energy and that is
conservation. There is no reason to privatize natural resources as a means to
develop alternative energy. No reasonable justification has been made to privatize
natural resources although the ALEC legislators would like the federal government
to give federal property to the state.
Finance/Taxation: What will you do to support public banking at the local level?
Why should the state of Washington pay interest to Wall Street Banks? If we have
our own bank we can save the interest costs. We are paying debt service of 9% of the General Fund for capital bonds debt service. We need our own bank!
Health Care: Explain your position (for or against) Medicare for All
(aka single payer health care) in terms of the effect on local citizens, service
providers, and government.
A single payer system would be modeled on the social security system with the
federal government as our single payer. Private health insurance companies makea profit but they also add on significant amounts to accumulate surplus over and
above their legally required reserves. Premiera, Regence and Group Health
all have each accumulated $3 billion in surplus that they can use for their
investment slush fund. They are using the ratepayers system to line their own
pockets. Every time there is an increase in monthly health rates the number of
individuals covered decreases. Who owns that surplus? It certainly does not
belong to the non-profit insurance company. And if the insurance company
decides to go out of business, what happens to the surplus?
Security/Public Safety: How would you act to stop the militarization of local
police forces and establish civilian oversight of law enforcement?
We need more civilian oversight and review committees. Change the training of
police from military command with military equipment to more community-
oriented service could bring about a softer approach. We also need to change our
approach to policing by stopping the military equipment raining on our police .
General: Why do you consider yourself a progressive?
For 8 years I have been chair of one of the most progressive Democratic
Legislative Districts Organizations spanning Snohomish and King County
promoting justice and fairness for all people.
I am proud of my work with student groups to craft, lobby and successfully pass
legislation SB5174 encouraging Civil Rights Education. There are many smaller
environmental stewardship projects to encourage student participation as well as
larger political campaigns that I am proud to participate in efforts such as; I522 –
label GMO’s, RejectSjr8223-Universities should use operating funds for
operations not speculate on stock, Re-elect Senator Maralyn Chase, working
against all Tim Eyman efforts, to name a few.
If this is not your first election, what other offices have you run for?
32nd Legislative District Democrats, Chair and vice-chair
If it is your first campaign, what other campaigns (candidate or issue) have you
participated in? What did you learn from those campaigns?
I started at 4 yrs old in Vietnam War peace marches and social justice and
civil rights issues. I learned that we do not have to roll over and accept injustice.
While we might not win each time, it is important to stand on principles rather thanpolitical expediency. I support principled politics.
Have you ever been a precinct committee officer or other Democratic org. offices?
Chair, 32 nd District Democrats 2009-current , PCO, Holly 2006 – current
2012 Washington State Democrats Chair of the Year
2014 Snohomish County Democrats “Progress” Award
2012 Delegation to National Democratic Conventions, Alternate
Treasurer, May Arkwright Hutton Chapter, Washington Federation of
Democratic Women , Member, Progressive Caucus
What single issue is the most important motivator for your run for office? What
proposals do you have for dealing with it?
I want to participate in the formulation of public policy. Decisions are being made
without adequate participation of the people who are impacted. We need more
people in office who put principles into our public policy that stand for justice and
equality. I want students in our public schools to have every opportunity to
develop to their full potential rather than being forced into a preconceived lock-
step to serve the global corporations.
Are there also important secondary issues? Describe your approach to
implementing solutions?
We need to bring well-researched, intelligent and thoughtful discussion to the
crafting of our public policy. All levels of government are being captured by
investors seeking to increase their wealth at the expense of our people.
