Aimee Warmerdam

Education Make all school breakfasts and lunches free — no student should go hungry. Economy Stimulate the economy by providing for the most vulnerable, enabling greater economic participation. Housing House the homeless through tiny house villages and vacant publicly-owned housing. Education Make community college free within the state. Wages / Job Benefits Increase the state minimum wage to 26/hr — what the federal minimum would be if it kept pace with inflation and productivity. Environment / Energy Our Department of Natural Resources is having its already too small budget cut by 7 million, or about 20% for its maintenance and operation budget — Governor Ferguson has called for another 750,000 to be cut. These cuts have forced several campgrounds, forests, and trails to close permanently, partially, or seasonally. I will fight to not just reverse these cuts, but to further fund the department to ensure our wilderness receives proper stewardship. Education Create additional elective classes so students can find their passions and explore future careers. Wages / Job Benefits Reduce the standard workweek to 32 hours with no reduction in pay or benefits. Environment / Energy Big tech companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and more are fighting to build large AI data centers in our state. These AI data centers not only raise energy costs for local Washingtonians, but also hurt our environment by damaging our rivers, ripping apart local wildlife habitats, and destroying local air quality. I will fight back to ban new AI data centers from being built, and to halt operations on all existing locations. Education Increase non-teacher salaries so all school functions are better supported. Infrastructure / Transportation Sound Transit has a history of cutting projects that serve parts of King County. I will push to codify Sound Transit's responsibility to deliver the full ST3 package voters approved — with no loopholes to cut corners. Every part of ST3 is an investment in our state's future — money paid to local union workers supporting their families, money that raises land values, creates new places to live and do business, and generates tax revenue without raising taxes. Infrastructure / Transportation We should also allow Sound Transit to pay for ST3 by issuing more bonds, which it can pay off by developing the property around the new stations — a proven model that funds itself. Whether you live in Enumclaw or Issaquah, Spokane or Seattle — this project uplifts the economy for us all, now and 100 years from now. By reducing greenhouse gas emissions and pollution from cars, creating more housing and business opportunities, and generates new jobs, this is a tide that lifts all boats. Build the damn train. Housing Create incentives to build on empty and dilapidated lots; discourage hoarding property for speculation. Housing Streamline permitting and approval for new housing construction. Healthcare You should get to live and thrive — not be forced to pay health insurance companies to deny you care. That's why I support Whole Washington, a universal healthcare initiative for our state. A single-payer system cuts prices by allowing the government to negotiate the cost of any procedure or prescription, rather than paying whatever outlandish price hospitals and insurance companies set. It saves money for businesses, who no longer need to spend on employee insurance plans, and saves money for people by dropping the price of care to 0. Housing Allow more multi-family housing, small businesses, and mixed-use buildings — such as ground-floor shops with housing above. Education Strengthen after-school programs so parents don't have to leave work early or worry about their children. Education Increase teacher salaries to attract more educators and reduce class sizes. Housing Invest in quality, affordable housing through social housing programs.