Andy will continue to fight for Spokane as we work together to create opportunity and prosperity for everyone in our community.

Economic Prosperity
In our region and throughout the state, our biggest challenge is creating a sustained and robust economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic. Senator Billig, as the Senate Majority Leader, created the Senate’s Special Committee for Economic Recovery to focus on innovative, long-term solutions that will help foster a sustained and long-term economic recovery.

Throughout all of our work on the economy, we must support small businesses and focus on creating living-wage jobs that allow people to work with dignity and support their families. Andy will continue to support programs and policies that provide opportunities for start-ups and small businesses to thrive. We must leverage Spokane's great quality of life to recruit new companies and keep the talented graduates from our excellent two and four year institutions in our community.

Educational Success
Our schools, especially in Spokane, are successful in many ways but they can and should be better. The biggest challenge, as we work to improve educational outcomes, is closing the opportunity gap.

The data have shown that best way to close the opportunity gap and increase overall student performance is through high-quality early learning and by preventing summer learning loss. Senator Billig has been a leader in these areas as well as in other innovative and proven strategies to increase opportunites for all students.

As we work to support students and educators and strive to continue to meet our constitutional duty to fully fund basic education, we have to focus on the whole child. It is almost impossible for a student to learn if they are hungry or homeless. We need support staff in our schools, including counselors, school psychologists, and family outreach coordinators to insure students are ready to learn when they arrive at school.

Special education is another area where we need continued attention. In recent years the Legislature has invested more in supporting special education students, but our work is not done. These students and educators deserve our full support. Our legislative focus on special education policy and investment must continue.

Equity
As Senate Majority Leader, Andy has created the most diverse leadership team in the history of the state. He believes that a commitment to diversity is not only morally responsible, but it also produces better results as broader opinions are included.

Andy is committed to consider all legislation with an equity lens and to approach his legislative work with cultural humility.

Protecting our environment
The Spokane-Rathdrum aquifer is the single source of drinking water for over 500,000 people - including everyone in the 3rd Legislative District. We need to focus on preserving this indispensable and unique resource so it is safe and plentiful now and for future generations.

Andy will continue to sponsor and support legislation that removes and prevents pollution in our environment and addresses the causes and impacts of our changing climate.

Responsible budgets
As tax revenue decreases at the same time the demand for citizen services continue increases, the long-term sustainability of the state operating budget remains a pressing concern.
Andy believes there are three pieces of the budget solution puzzle:

1) Continue to improve efficiency in state government, but we also must realize that many efficiency measures, particularly those employing new technology, may require an additional investment in the short-term so we can benefit in the long-term.

2) Reform our tax system so it is more fair and produces revenue adequate to fund the state’s core responsibilities. Currently, Washington is dead last of all states in tax fairness. That means that low and middle income families pay a much higher proportion of their income in taxes compared to richer households. We have made some progress in recent years but we can and must do better in this area.

3) Grow our state and local economy which will result in greater prosperity for the people in our community, reduce demand for services, and increase tax revenue to the state.

Healthcare and Seniors
We need a health care system that is effective, affordable, and accessible.

A focus on wellness has to be at the center of any successful health care system. Our country's obesity epidemic is a direct result of inactivity and poor nutrition. Improved school nutrition and a transportation system that accommodates walking and biking are two key elements to making our community healthier and, as a result, lowering health care costs for all of us.

Public health is front and center right now but it has always been an important priority for Andy. He will continue to support investments in public health as we learn from the COVID-19 pandemic and continue to protect our community from this virus and future health hazards as well.

When it comes to woman’s reproductive health rights, we must be steadfast in defense of the progress that has been made. Andy will continue to be a leader in advocating for the right of women to be able to make their own decisions about their bodies.

Andy will also continue to promote policies and programs that help seniors successfully age in place. By helping seniors live safely and comfortably in their current homes, we increase their quality of life and save money for both the seniors and the state.

Transportation
The future success of our regional economy requires us to focus on improving the quality and efficiency of our local and regional transportation system. We must continue our complete streets efforts which allows for safe and efficient use by motor vehicles, transit, bicycles and pedestrians.

Andy will continue to advocate for projects that value all modes of transportation and provide accessibility for everyone, while also serving the dual purpose of creating short-term construction jobs.

Criminal Justice
Andy will continue to work on legislation that supports the implementation of Smart Justice programs in Spokane and around the state.

Property crimes remain a concern in Spokane, and Andy is committed to focusing on budgetary as well as policy steps that will help address this pressing problem for our community.

Andy has championed funding to support the Spokane Family Justice Center, a domestic violence prevention collaborative made up of police, prosecutors and domestic violence prevention advocates. The Family Justice Center is located at the YWCA in Downtown Spokane. Andy will continue to advocate for domestic violence victims and work to ensure the Family Justice Center has the resources necessary to continue its important and effective work.

Campaign Finance & Voter Access
Andy is the legislative leader on campaign finance reform and will continue to propose and fight for legislation that will make our elections more fair and transparent. In addition, Andy has helped pass voter access legislation, including voter pre-registration for 16 and 17 year olds, same-day voter registration, automatic voter registration and the Washington State Voting Rights Act. Andy will continue to work on these issues as long as he is in the Legislature.

Feedback

Andy welcomes your feedback on the topics listed above or any other issue. You can reach him by at andy@andybillig.com

To view Andy's remarks from his 2010 Campaign Kick-Off Event on November 12, 2009, please click on this link.