Republican candidate for governor Dave Reichert’s focuses include enhancing law enforcement to reduce crime, focusing on parental rights and fighting the state’s current carbon and gas tax laws.
In a Vancouver town hall hosted by Firmly Planted Action last week, former King County Sheriff and Congressional Rep. Dave Reichert detailed his plans for his campaign and future policies.
Criminal justice
During the town hall, Reichert expressed his interest in reorganizing the state’s Indeterminate Sentence Review Board (ISRB). He said the parole board is responsible for releasing 35% of the state’s prisoners, which could lead to the closure of three or four of Washington’s prisons.
“We don’t want to close our prisons down. We need to put people back,” Reichert said. “…They’re not working to be released. They’re not reformed. They’re not ready to reenter the community. What do they do? They commit more crimes.”
Furthermore, Reichert believes law enforcement should work more closely with cities to ensure public safety. He said Washington is the most underfunded, understaffed state in terms of policing.
“Our cops on the street are not getting support from their city council members, their mayors, their lieutenant governor, their prosecutors and their governor. They’ve all turned their back. They’re handcuffed,” Reichert said.
Reichert said more qualified immunity should be granted to law enforcers to ensure they feel safe doing their jobs. This would grant officers assured immunity from civil lawsuits for wrongful use of force.
“[It] means they don’t have to worry about a civil suit against them, then losing their house and losing their car, or losing their family or even being disciplined for [when] they made a split decision like that, a life-and-death decision.”
Education
Reichert believes parents should have more say in what their children are learning in public schools. He did not specify what policies or curriculums he disagreed with during the town hall.
“Your kids are your kids. They don’t belong to the state,” Reichert said. “We all love our kids, and we want to have the best education that we can give them so they can be productive members of the community.”
Reichert said he hopes the school system will shift gears to focus on more science, technology, engineering and math, and arts courses. He suggested the state can also expand its array of charter schools for more choices.
Economy and housing
Reichert criticized the state’s carbon gas tax laws for causing companies to raise gas prices for Washingtonians. He said the price of regular gasoline has risen by almost 50 cents per gallon and may rise to 80 to 90 cents soon.
“Do you know that [Gov. Jay] Inslee has the authority right now to hit the pause button on this, and stop the gas tax? … Yes, he can do that today,” Reichert said.
He also believes the state’s capital gains tax, which imposes a tax on the sale of assets valued at $250,000 or more, should be repealed. An initiative to repeal the law will be on the November general election ballot. Reichert is concerned that, in the next legislative session, democratic lawmakers will lower the capital gains tax to excise taxes on cheaper assets.
Reichart said one of his main campaign goals is to address the rising houseless population in Washington and to tackle the issues of mental illness and substance abuse. He said the state has a shortage of nurses to accommodate the health needs housing-vulnerable Washingtonians face.
When asked how he would address the rising costs of housing, Reichart said, apart from lowering the cost of gas, he would make sure landowners can ask potential tenants for their criminal history.
“When you let people [stay] that aren’t responsible, what do they do? They move in, and they don’t pay their rent, and who ends up with that cost? The person who owns the building,” Reichert said.
Campaigning
For his campaign strategy, Reichert believes getting Democrats to vote Republican will be necessary. He said his campaign will ensure the election is fair by making sure ballot boxes are in proximity to churches and firing ranges.
“I spoke at a firing range with a couple of 100 people a few weeks ago, and one of the gentlemen raised his hands and said, ‘Yeah like to see them steal a ballot at this firing range,’” Reichert said.
Reichert is currently running against Democratic candidates Bob Ferguson and Mark Mullet, and Republican Candidate Semi Bird, who earned the State’s Republican Party’s endorsement on April 20. Reichert said he is confident in his campaign’s success during the town hall.
“I’m going to be the SWAT commander. And you’re going to be the SWAT team, and we’re going to get a SWAT team across the state, and we’re going to kick that damn door now. We’re taking that governor’s office back,” he said.
Dave Reichert did not respond to The Reflector for comment.
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