The Bonney Lake Senior Center hosted a town-hall meeting in which residents discussed issues with Republican Sen. Pam Roach of the 31st Legislative District.
After a brief introduction, Roach opened the floor to questions from the audience.
Topics receiving much attention during the course of the meeting were government transparency, taxes, the justice system and morality.
Roach spoke to her audience in a friendly and assuring way, at times asking them to indicate with a show of hands where they stood on matters.
“Am I right that you appreciate your constitutional liberties and want them protected?” she asked, to a show of hands.
She described government as, “This huge bureaucracy which we hope to make accountable to us.”
On at least two occasions she mentioned the importance of supporters voting for and funding people who share their viewpoints.
“Right now one party controls everything. That’s not good for balance,” she said.
One audience member’s question prompted Roach to discuss morality as she believes it relates to politics. She said the United States government is based on a foundation of religious principles.
“Mostly a Christian base, I think you might have had one or two Jewish people eke along early on,” she said.
The senator presented herself as a campaigner for her and her party’s definition of morality, mentioning her Mormon faith and stating her stance on gay marriage without being asked.
“I’m certainly not going to be voting to support gay marriage,” she said.
Morality played a role in a discussion of whether the state should continue in the liquor business. Jay Hill of Lake Tapps quoted Thomas Jefferson who believed morality is monitored by the community upward, not from a larger body downward.
An issue important to Roach is keeping Rainier School open. The Buckley facility faces closure because of budget constraints. Roach hosted a public meeting Dec. 16 to establish a plan for Rainier School so the land will not be taken from the residents who call Rainier School home.
“I am tired of having our school for the developmentally disabled constantly under attack by people or governments who want the land and are willing to displace the vulnerable residents who are counting on us,” she stated in a release.
Roach said earlier during the meeting it is important to her to ensure protection for the disadvantaged.
“You help those first that cannot help themselves,” she said.
Roach’s stance was not entirely partisan and she told her audience she agreed with some of what is in President Barack Obama’s education plan, Reaching to the Top. The plan includes a $25 fee for parents whose children are tardy, something which Washington used to have, and an incentive to get children to school on time, which Roach said should be reinstated.
The plan includes support for charter schools, the concept of merit pay and provides funding to schools based on their achievements of specific goals.
“I think it will be good for the state,” she said.
Prior to the meeting a non-scientific survey about controversial issues was mailed and Roach read some results.
Of 1,000 respondents, 42 favored raising taxes as a way to reduce the deficit. This segued into talk of Tim Eyman’s latest project, Initiative 960, which would repeal the simple majority now needed to increase taxes.
Pat Miller of Bonney Lake said he has a different view toward taxes than most in the room because he sees it as a necessity and responsibility.
He said with a lower tax base, there is not enough money to provide good roads and services and funding is not getting to areas in need.
“We have lost in a lot of our cases, where our heart is. We all have to participate to have a great nation,” Miller said.
Roach said she is committed to balancing the budget without a tax increase.
People were upset regarding the reinstatement of felons’ voting rights, which Roach said was largely due to “the liberal 9th circuit.”
“I fought that tooth and nail,” she said.
She said in the future people could prevent unwanted decisions change if they “fund the good team.”
