Election 2024: Rep. Simmons draws 2 challengers in Washington 23rd District primary
Democratic state Rep. Tarra Simmons drew two opponents in the primary race for Washington's 23rd Legislative District's Pos. 1 race — independent candidate Tiffany Attrill and U.S. military veteran and Republican Kurt Robertson. Simmons has represented the 23rd Legislative District since 2021, and currently serves as the vice chair of the Community Safety, Justice, and Reentry Committee. According to the Kitsap County Local Voters' Pamphlet, neither Attrill nor Robertson have previously held elected office.
The 23rd LD encompasses northern Kitsap County up to Hansville, including Bainbridge Island. The two candidates with the most votes after the August 6 primary move on to the November general election.
VOTER GUIDE: Washington primary election August 2024
The Kitsap Sun asked the legislative candidates to answer three questions, with answers limited to 200 words. All three candidates' answers follow:
Tarra Simmons
Current occupation: State Representative, 23rd Legislative District (former director and attorney, Civil Survival Project)
Previous elected experience: Elected in 2020 to the Washington State House of Representatives
Party: Democratic
Campaign contributions: $75,866.00
What are the district's priorities, and what makes you the best candidate to achieve them?
As an elected official for the 23rd LD, I have played a pivotal role in advocacy efforts on behalf of my community, with a strong focus on healthcare, affordable housing, income equality and community safety. Together, we spearheaded the passage of several bills and secured millions of dollars to advance our priorities.
Our district is a complex, diverse landscape facing a multitude of issues. From managing growth and development to addressing the lack of essential services, such as adequate transportation and public schools. Because I grew up here, I know our district well and am deeply passionate about the future landscape for my children and grandson.
In these times, it is crucial to have experienced leaders, like myself, who can balance policy priorities through an equitable lens. I have a track record of delivering for our district and am committed to ensuring that your concerns, which are at the heart of our community, are not only heard but also actively addressed in Olympia during this pivotal time.
What can the legislature do to ensure ferry service to ferry-dependent communities becomes reliable?
I am fully in favor of allocating financial resources to support our transportation infrastructure projects. In previous sessions, I have even supported shifting funds from the operating budget to the transportation budget to get our ferry crisis headed in the right direction. I am dedicated to collaborating with our delegation to secure additional capital funds for critical highway projects as well as the construction of the Kingston remote ferry holding lot.
While addressing short-term needs, it's imperative to focus on long-term solutions. Establishing a dry dock capable of servicing our new ferries is essential to prevent the current issue of having rusting boats without an efficient repair facility. I will continue to build upon the progress made in recent years regarding the restoration and modernization of our ferry fleet, and the development of our maritime workforce. Although discussions about this matter have been ongoing for years, the time for executive action is long overdue.
What state tool, or combination of tools, do you see that has worked to help develop affordable housing and could be employed by the state in Kitsap County?
It is essential to prioritize preventing displacement in our communities. To achieve this, we need to enact comprehensive policies and allocate resources to strengthen preemptive homeless services. A key starting point is establishing meaningful and affordable housing standards. It's crucial to be very detailed in defining the policies we implement to ensure their effectiveness. Additionally, we must address the historical impact of segregationist practices such as redlining and ensure that community growth does not come at the expense of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) communities. To promote inclusive growth, we should focus on community-led development and consider initiatives like a state-subsidized Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) program. We should also strive to pass sensible rent stabilization policies.
My commitment to addressing homelessness is steadfast, and it revolves around the Housing First model. This proven model prioritizes immediate housing solutions, which in turn enhances the impact of resources for mental health, job training, and substance use disorder treatment.
By investing in the expansion of our housing continuum, we not only satisfy a moral obligation but also make the most equitable dollar-for-dollar investment in effective solutions. I am firmly committed to broadening housing options that uphold dignity and improve health outcomes.
Tiffany Attrill
Current occupation: Victims' advocate for the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office and Seattle Police Department
Previous elected experience: None
Party: Independent
Campaign contributions: $7,178.28
What are the district's priorities, and what makes you the best candidate to achieve them?
As an independent candidate, I am not beholden to either political party, which provides the people of Kitsap a unique opportunity to elect a representative who prioritizes their needs, over partisan interests. I believe what is needed in Olympia is a level of balance, a finding of the middle ground and a legislator who truly listens to the constituents.
My primary motivation for running is to give a voice to those who feel they have none. My two decades of experience as a crime victim advocate gives me a unique understanding of the challenges facing our justice system and the needs of our community. Being a mother of two teenagers, I support investing in education and providing resources and opportunities for our children to grow and thrive.
I prioritized legislation that allows law enforcement professionals to excel, to do their jobs to protect our communities as well as our criminal justice system and judicial officers to hold individuals, who chose to engage in criminal behavior, accountable.
I will put the interests of District 23 residents first, challenging the status quo and bringing fresh perspectives to Olympia. I am proudly endorsed by the Washington Affordable Housing Council as well as the Washington Council of Police and Sheriffs.
What can the legislature do to ensure ferry service to ferry-dependent communities becomes reliable?
As someone who commuted on the ferry daily for more than a decade, I understand firsthand the critical role reliable ferry service plays in the lives of ferry-dependent individuals, families, and communities. The legislature must prioritize consistent funding and strategic planning to ensure this reliability. Solutions include securing stable, long-term financial commitments to maintain and upgrade the ferry fleet and investing in workforce development to address staffing shortages that often disrupt service. Implementing technological advancements for real-time tracking and communication can also enhance reliability and passenger experience.
Regular consultations with ferry-dependent residents are essential to ensure their concerns and suggestions are heard and considered in decision-making. By broadening our perspective to incorporate new technologies we can explore innovative solutions to operational challenges.
What state tool, or combination of tools, do you see that has worked to help develop affordable housing and could be employed by the state in Kitsap County?
I believe that our locally owned shop and restaurant owners, educators, first responders and healthcare workers deserve to live in the areas where they work. They serve, educate and protect us – they deserve opportunities to be able to afford to live locally. With population growth, the desirability to live in Kitsap, increased housing prices, greater competition and limited building permits, fewer families can afford to buy - currently, less than 20% of Kitsap families can afford to buy a home.
To address the pressing need for affordable housing in Kitsap County, we can employ a combination of state and federal tools. The federal Housing Trust Fund (HTF), a critical resource that has provided grants and loans to develop affordable housing for low-income residents, can be expanded and its application process streamlined at the state level to accelerate the development of new projects.
Additionally, leveraging the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program can incentivize private investment in affordable housing. I support legislation that alleviates barriers and allows the county to adopt a Multi-Family Tax Exemption program (MFTE) for Kitsap County. An MFTE program allows a Multi-Family Housing development to be exempt from property taxes for a certain number of years in exchange for providing a percentage of affordable units.
Kurt Robertson
Current occupation: Adjunct business faculty at University of Washington, Western Washington University, and Olympic College; military veteran
Previous elected experience: Elected chair of Olympic View Park Stewardship Committee
Party: Republican
Campaign contributions: $2,314.60
What are the district's priorities, and what makes you the best candidate to achieve them?
Some of the Priorities for the 23rd Legislative District :
Law and Order : Place law-abiding citizens first. I have a crime victim in my family. The crimes were preventable but the pursuit law (HB-1054) passed by the slanted thinking of the legislature discouraged pursuit and enforcement. A civilized society mush have rule of law. Not the illusion or casual reference to the rule of law, but actual rule of law. More facts about the impact of HB-1054
No property tax increases: preventing the increase from 1% to 3% planned by the last legislative session. Whether you are a homeowner or a renter, and property tax increase will increase you monthly payments. The state should focus more on how it manages its revenue stream.
Homelessness and Squatting: Both increasing in Kitsap County. The Sunbreak Ranch (Sunbreak Ranch – New Beginnings for Homeless People in Transition) in San Diego provides a working model of how to successfully deal with record-breaking drug use that leads to homelessness, and in many cases, death. We also need stronger laws dealing with squatting. Property ownership should be safe and undisputed.
I am the best candidate to deal with these issues because I bring stability, domestic and international experience to the position. Married 51 years, 4 children. 20 years military service. In addition to living in the U.S, I have lived in 3 countries. I know what works and what doesn’t.
What can the legislature do to ensure ferry service to ferry-dependent communities becomes reliable?
Fleet management, whether a bus fleet, a truck fleet or a ferry fleet have replacement plans that gradually replace and aging fleet with upgrades. Those plans aren’t going well in Puget Sound. In my view, we need to
augment short-staffed crews
replace aging ferries.
The state is doing both but at a pace well behind what is needed. We still face one-boat service and short-staffed crews preventing under way time.
Recently emerging passenger ferries have been a relief to long commute times, and we need to support those. Car ferries have an extended project management timeline. We can incentivize shipyards with cash incentives, but still….
The state’s current fleet has 21 boats. Full Service requires 19 boats running. Information on the number of boats capable of getting underway was not available.
What state tool, or combination of tools, do you see that has worked to help develop affordable housing and could be employed by the state in Kitsap County?
If there is a state tool or tools working to solve homelessness that is working, I am not aware of it. Homelessness is a problem with many levels.
Supply and demand. If Americans weren’t using drugs, the supply would disappear.
To meet the demand, China and Mexico collude to provide the supply.
So people use drugs creating helplessness. Cities, Counties and morgues are overwhelmed with the problem. They throw huge amounts of money at the problem without solving it. There may be hope. The Sunbreak Ranch in San Diego (Sunbreak Ranch – New Beginnings for Homeless People in Transition) seems to be the latest ray of hope in the homelessness battle. Its record of success seems to surpass any other local or national efforts. A recent Supreme Court ruling helps with local law and ordinance enforcement, but it basically helps us to shuffle the problem legally.
This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: Rep. Simmons draws 2 challengers in Washington 23rd District primary
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