Name: Wes Cormier
Town: Elma
Party: Republican
Employment or business background (last 20+ years); Harbor Pacific Bottling Company; Grays Harbor County Juvenile Officer 2003 – 2005; Senior Real Estate Appraiser for Grays Harbor County Assessor’s Office, 2005 – 2012; Grays Harbor County Commissioner, 2012 – present; Wrestling Coach
Endorsements: (Please limit the number of endorsements to 3) I do not accept endorsements or give them. I do not accept money from PAC’s, special interest or lobbyists.
Questions
1. We’ve had an updated revenue forecast for almost a month and we know more about the financial and social impacts of COVID-19. Is it time for the Legislature to have a special session to address budget and other issues?
Yes, it is time that the Legislature convenes and addresses the budgetary problems of our state. As a County Commissioner, I recently attended a Washington State Association of County Officials meeting with financial experts that said the longer it takes for decisions to be made the more severe the cuts.
The Legislature must also act immediately and amend the governor’s emergency powers. In a republic form of government there was a clear intention to create checks and balances between the branches of government. The Covid-19 pandemic has revealed an immediate need for the legislative body to intervene. No one elected official should have so much power for an extended amount of time.
2. Because of Covid-19, the state will lose billions of dollars in revenue over this biennium and next, much more than is in the current rainy day fund. Balancing the budget will mean cuts and/or raising taxes. What are your thoughts on whether to cut spending or raise revenue?
The state must cut spending. Residents and businesses of this state have suffered under the governor’s “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order. A tax would be a slap in the face to hard working Washingtonians.
As a state senator, I would recommend a priority-based budget that ranks services based on constitutionality, necessity, and allocates resources according to how effectively a program or service achieves its goals and objectives. State agencies should justify their FTE’s, projects, goals and expenditures past and present.
3. If the Legislature has to raise taxes to balance the budget, which segments of the economy should see the increases.
A tax on politicians.
4. Is there a need for policing reform? If so, what are some of the issues that need addressing?
I support law enforcement. We should not punish the many for the bad acts of a few. There are bad apples in every institution, including the media, academia, health care, religious institutions, law enforcement et al., but responsibility falls on the individual.
Washington State has a great training system for law enforcement and the statewide law enforcement association gives great guidance and establishes best practices for local jurisdictions. The state should assist in providing resources necessary for any improvements to law enforcement through their association. This is a great way to maintain the highest standards for our law enforcement communities.
5. What is the most pressing need in your district and what can the Legislature do to address it?
The need to stop one-size fits all legislation. There is a great divide between urban and rural areas on taxes, rules and regulation. My view is like that of a former U.S. Supreme Court justice who recommended that states should be “laboratories of democracy” for our great country. I would recommend that Washington State take the successes and failures of different counties and cities and learn from them. As a Grays Harbor County commissioner, I believe we need to empower local governments to find solutions to our problems in Washington and learn from each other rather than imposing one-size fits all rules for all jurisdictions
