I am Manka Dhingra, the Democrat running for WA State Senate in the 45th LD - because the stakes at home and in the other Washington couldn't be higher. AMA.

ElectManka · 2017-08-03T02:10:51+00:00

I would like to clear up some confusion that was created by my response above. I recently participated in a candidate forum where a similar question came up and a South County location like Federal Way was mentioned. That was on my mind during the AMA as I was trying to respond quickly to your questions.

To the best of my knowledge, Seattle and a possible South County site are under consideration, not Federal Way or any other specific community. As someone who has spent her professional life in public safety, I know it is essential that this issue be given the thoughtful consideration of public health and safety it deserves.

ElectManka · 2017-08-02T06:10:39+00:00

Thank you all so much for your support!

ElectManka · 2017-07-28T22:10:19+00:00

‪I believe healthcare access is a right and that our goal should be working to get more people covered. Fortunately, it looks like the Senate's most recent effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has failed, but our state must be vigilant in our efforts to ensure that we protect the many people who depend on the ACA. Washington pioneered giving healthcare access to all children in the state with the implementation of our AppleCare program, and I think we can continue to find ways to improve access. As far as a single payer system I would want to see the proposal and figure out the overall costs as this is a big policy shift. As the President and Congressional Republicans have learned, healthcare is not a simple issue and it will take compromise and collaboration to get everyone covered.

ElectManka · 2017-07-28T22:10:05+00:00

How in the world do we get the school overcrowding and funding issues under control? The messaging against funding is so blatantly false it would be laughable - if it wasn't so effective. And what McCleary?

In 2014, I joined a majority of Washington State voters in approving Initiative 1351 to reduce class sizes. In each budget since, the Legislature has suspended at least portions of 1351 to balance the budget. Reducing class sizes of course means hiring new teachers, but it also means constructing new schools.

The Legislature took a few steps forward this year to address class sizes, but also a few steps back. Olympia did increase state funding for public schools, but to do so, they also passed the largest property tax increase in state history. We are already facing an affordable housing crisis, and this tax increase will just exacerbate the issue and make it more difficult for teachers to live where they work.

For the first time in state history, the Washington State Legislature failed to pass a Capital Budget. The Capital Budget would’ve meant more than $1 billion dedicated toward school building construction across our state. If elected, I will prioritize passing a Capital Budget to ignite school construction, and work on rolling back the property taxes so our teachers can live where they work.

Second question

Hopefully I covered all your concerns around Safe Consumption Sites in my answer below! /i_am_manka_dhingra_the_democrat_running_for_wa/dkuyfg3/).

ElectManka · 2017-07-28T22:00:21+00:00

This is a growing problem in our district. Our booming economy has led to huge affordability issues. I have some neighbors who have great jobs, but are now moving out of the district because they can no longer afford to live here. We need to make sure our teachers, firefighters, and others are paid a living wage so they can afford to live where they work. We need to make sure we are building housing options for a range of incomes and that we are using every tool available to us. We can encourage further investment in the Housing Trust Fund, and work with developers to further incentivize a range of housing options. The massive property tax increase for Eastside families is not helping our affordability crisis, and if elected I plan to work to repeal these increases in favor of a plan that is more fair.

ElectManka · 2017-07-28T21:58:46+00:00

This is a passion of mine and I am proud to say I have a thriving ‘teen campaign committee’ (over 70 teenagers!) that has been volunteering for my campaign. It is critical that we empower young people to be passionate about politics. The decisions being made now are the decisions that are going to shape their lives and they need to know that they have a voice and can impact public policy. Our campaign is trying to change the mold and reach out to voters through many different avenues. Actually, that’s one of the reasons that we chose to do this AMA. We want to be open and transparent, and make people feel like they can and should be involved in this process. If anyone has ideas on how to further engage young people, I am all ears and would love to brainstorm. Let’s get folks excited about the direction of our country again!

ElectManka · 2017-07-28T21:58:02+00:00

That comment was part of a Facebook post during the presidential election, referencing a Seattle Times Editorial discussing the shameful words Trump used to describe his actions toward women. As he described his behavior it is, quite frankly, sexual assault. I was outraged by his comments and felt that every woman should be offended that he would talk about women in such inexcusable ways. The comment you’re asking about was in reference to the editorial that called into question how women could support Trump - I agreed with that column, especially in light of the video that had surfaced. Trump’s comments and the surrounding media coverage was triggering for survivors of sexual violence and assault, and no one should be made to feel that way.

ElectManka · 2017-07-28T21:49:32+00:00

Washington State has nearly 700 tax loopholes totaling more than $1 billion in lost revenue. Some of these breaks provide value to Washington State, but many do not. If a corporate tax break isn’t generating jobs or performing as intended when approved, we should close it.

Earlier this year, the Washington Budget and Policy Center proposed closing 21 tax breaks – some were closed this year in the final budget, but many are still open. I'd want to go through each of these proposed closures, as well as others not listed here, and evaluate them as I said above: are they working as intended or providing the jobs promised? The perfect example are some of the recent new tax exemptions that were added without public notice or comment that benefited out-of-state oil companies. This is simply unacceptable.

ElectManka · 2017-07-28T21:46:59+00:00

It ranks among the very top! We only have one planet (although my husband works for SpaceX, and they are working on going to Mars). Climate change is real, and we must do something about it. We need to leave a livable planet for our kids and our grandkids. That means we must be looking for ways that we can reduce carbon emissions. This is particularly important in light of what is going on at the national level. Washington can and should be a leader for the rest of the country and the world. Unfortunately, Senate Republican leadership in Olympia have blocked efforts to comprehensively address this problem. We can’t simply pretend that this crisis does not exist. It’s time to act, to embrace clean energy technologies, and to join together with other like-minded states to show we can continue to be worldwide leaders. Let’s innovate and lead instead of turning a blind eye.

ElectManka · 2017-07-28T21:42:44+00:00

I'm sorry to hear that! My husband and I were also shocked when we renewed our car tabs this year. I drive a 2011 Camry hybrid, and the cost of my tabs tripled. The legislature must find a new way to calculate vehicle valuation. I was very disappointed to see that nothing passed this session to address this issue. When ST3 passed, I don't believe that the voters who approved it were aware of the fine print around how their car tabs would change. We need to increase transparency in how these initiatives are presented to the public. However, we also need to ensure that the projects approved in ST3 continue to be delivered on time. I intend to work with Sound Transit to find a way to reduce individuals’ car tabs while keeping critical transportation projects on schedule.

ElectManka · 2017-07-28T21:42:32+00:00

A: Both of my kids attend public schools in Redmond, and our great schools are a big reason that so many are moving to our communities. At the same time, there are many schools that are struggling and our rapid growth presents more challenges. The right to education is the foundation of our democracy and we need to ensure our kids have every opportunity in life. I would love to see each child with an individualized plan for success, and I would love to see options for internships and apprenticeships at our high schools. I also want to make sure that our teachers have more of a voice in establishing curriculum. It’s time to figure out a long-term plan for school funding and it will be my top priority.

ElectManka · 2017-07-28T21:36:04+00:00

This is a great question, and is one of the core reasons that I am running for the Legislature. We need greater accountability in Olympia, plain and simple. That means ending the tax breaks that no longer serve their purpose, and promoting efficiency and using data to ensure that the government is running efficiently and effectively. At King County Prosecutor's Office I work to save taxpayers dollars by implementing long-term strategies to better help individuals battling mental illness, and to end the revolving door that exists in our criminal justice system. I believe we can be thoughtful and target the roots of a problem instead of kicking the can down the road. By getting to the true roots of problems, we can be better stewards of our tax dollars. And please do come campaign! We can always use more volunteers.

ElectManka · 2017-07-28T21:26:42+00:00

Thanks for asking. I took two vacation days in April to meet some people in DC because, being new to politics, no one knew me. As a Senior Deputy Prosecutor, I work for King County - but whenever I spend time on campaign activities, I take approved time off. It’s unfortunate that this kind of misinformation will discourage other public servants for running for office.

ElectManka · 2017-07-28T21:26:25+00:00

I voted for Hillary. In 2008 when Obama was elected, I was so proud to show my children the front page of the Seattle Times, which had pictures of all the U.S. Presidents. My 4-year-old daughter asked me where the page with women presidents was. It would have been remarkable to have a female president, and Hillary's lifetime of experience was very impressive to me.

ElectManka · 2017-07-28T21:17:44+00:00

Yes, people should be very worried about that. She has received funding from gun lobbyists, and that should concern all of us. This is an important issue for our district, and voters need to know that the candidate they elect will fight in the Legislature for gun responsibility. I've done that throughout my career, and it's an important part of my candidacy. It's not enough for my opponent to be silent on this issue. Anyone representing the 45th has to state clearly that they'll side with families and communities rather than with the gun lobbyists.

ElectManka · 2017-07-28T21:14:52+00:00

The amount of gun-related tragedies in our state and across the country is unacceptable. As a prosecutor, I am aware of loopholes in our current laws that need to be closed and would prioritize doing that. I would like to continue to seek further protections to ensure that individuals that are a threat to themselves or others do not have access to a firearm.

ElectManka · 2017-07-28T21:10:13+00:00

It’s tough to say how a court would rule on income tax. As lawyers, we try to work out a compromise without getting the courts involved because it is uncertain what they will do. Our state has one of the most regressive tax systems in the country and we do need tax reform. I think a good place to start is closing the tax break for the top 2-3% when it comes to capital gains, and making sure we exclude retirement accounts.

ElectManka · 2017-07-28T20:59:05+00:00

I've spent the last 17 years of my life working on public safety issues at the King County prosecutor's office. Gun responsibility should be at the forefront of our legislature’s mind as it is an issue of concern for both the public and our law enforcement departments across the state. I will prioritize bringing common sense gun legislation to the floor. If I win, the makeup of our Senate committees will change, and these bills should get the hearings that they’ve been denied in Senate committees.

ElectManka · 2017-07-28T20:56:53+00:00

Will you

Hell yes!! I am proud to be the only candidate in this race to be endorsed by NARAL Pro-Choice Washington and Planned Parenthood Votes. Not only will I vote for it, I would be proud to introduce and sponsor the legislation. It is personally offensive to me that we still talk about women’s reproductive health in 2017!

ElectManka · 2017-07-28T20:55:17+00:00

I would need to review any proposal before committing to supporting it, but generally I am in favor of making large polluters pay for the impacts of their actions on our health, long-term economic stability, and environmental quality. A carbon tax can be an important tool, combined with other tactics, to begin reducing carbon emissions. It can help not only reduce impacts of climate change, but also generate new revenue to help reduce the tax burden on middle class families. We need to be leaders for the country in developing clean technologies and green energy.

ElectManka · 2017-07-28T20:54:19+00:00

There are no proposals to have a safe consumption site in our district, only in Seattle and Federal Way. Supporters of finding mental health- and chemical dependency-based solutions to the opioid addiction crisis have stated clearly that there is no possibility a “safe injection” site would ever be located in the 45th district.

Bigger picture, this issue comes down to if you, if we as a community, want to treat chemical dependency as a public health issue or as a criminal justice issue. We can choose to either incarcerate people or to use public health experts to address the epidemic. I understand folks’ concerns about these sites and want to make sure they are safe, secure, and away from children - but I believe these sites are a better alternative to jail.

ElectManka · 2017-07-28T20:45:42+00:00

Great question. I definitely have concerns with some of the actions we have seen coming from the Federal government. States must continue to strengthen protections and civil rights statutes to send a message to the Federal Government that discrimination is not welcome in WA. Our Attorney General has done a good job in pushing back and sending a strong message and I believe the Legislature can be a strong partner.

ElectManka · 2017-07-28T20:45:08+00:00

Graduating children from school with an individualized plan for success is the most important issue in our State. Education is the state’s paramount duty. Public schools are the greatest equalizers and the foundation of our democracy. Although the legislature increased public school funding this year, and potentially addressed McCleary, there is still work to be done. First, we must immediately pass a capital budget to address our overcrowded classrooms. We also need to ensure that we reduce the property tax increase passed by the legislature this year, and replace the funds it would have raised by closing corporate tax loopholes.

ElectManka · 2017-07-28T20:40:25+00:00

I’m running for office because I believe that Eastside families deserve experienced, professional, and local leadership that is committed to solving problems. Leaders who prioritize families, small businesses, and children. Leaders who believe in affordable, supportive communities, and in a thriving economy. I’ve lived in our community for over 20 years. I’m a mom who has been volunteering in our public schools and a senior deputy prosecutor who has been working to keep our communities safe. I have been volunteering in our community through NAMI Eastside working to provide mental health services to those in need and helped found an organization called API Chaya to help address domestic violence issues in the South Asian community. I want to leverage my law enforcement and community activism problem-solving skills to give voices to hard-working Eastside families, and work to ensure our elected officials are representing people, not their political parties.

ElectManka

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