No matter the topic of the question during a legislative candidate debate on Sept. 23, every answer came back to money, or more specifically a serious lack of it.

The debate, co-hosted by the Maple Valley-Black Diamond Chamber of Commerce and the Covington-Maple Valley Reporter, brought in the candidates from the 5th and 47th Legislative districts. Most of Sammamish and Issaquah are covered by the 5th, with some neighborhoods in the 45th and 41st districts.

Glenn Anderson, a representative from the 5th, and his challenger David Spring, tackled an early question on road improvements and how to pay for them. State Route 169 is of particular interest to residents of the 5th district.

“In the next few years we’re going to have to create jobs and transportation infrastructure is going to be a huge part of that,” Anderson said. “For state Route 169, the cost for the full fix is about $250 million. We should make sure whatever money we take out (to fix SR 169) is not bonded.”

Spring said he feels that the solution is not the state’s “extremely high gas taxes” or toll roads, both of which he said put unfair burdens on the middle class, rather the state should create what he described an equitable tax structure where the wealthiest state residents pay more taxes than they do now.

“We can completely fix up the entire 169 corridor and we would have money to spare for all kinds of projects and create all kinds of jobs,” Spring said.

Jay Rodne, a Republican representative from the 5th district, and his challenger Greg Hoover, took on a question about proposed liquor initiatives.

Hoover, who explained he grew up in California, said he was opposed to the idea of privatizing liquor sales due to safety concerns.

“When I was a kid I would ride my bike down to the store to get some gum,” Hoover said. “I would see a drunk man outside the store waiting for his next bottle of tequila. I don’t want my son exposed to that.”

In addition to that, Hoover said, there are statistics that bear out the idea that allowing liquor sales anywhere at anytime causes an increase in crime.

Rodne, however, is in support of the proposal that privatizes “the entire liquor distribution business. I don’t think the state should be in the liquor distribution business. According to Sen. Rodney Tom… he conservatively estimated that we could save about $300 million (each) biennium. And I think that’s the way to go. We spend an inordinate amount of money on leases and overhead to distribute alcohol in the state.”

Then there was the question regarding examining the character of a political candidate.

Spring said he believes it’s appropriate because when you’re talking about politicians, you’re talking about who you trust.

“On the other hand is that my own personal beliefs is that we have to be careful when we’re judging people,” Spring said. “I don’t want to have a National Enquirer kind of debate, is this is a good person or is this a bad person? I do believe that what’s important is people’s public record.”

Anderson said that something politicians learn quickly “is that it is truly a transparent fishbowl. You have to have a thick skin and a sense of humor. What I believe is that I’m going to live my life as who I am. I don’t want to be a cardboard cutout politician. I want to pay attention to you and who you are and why this issue is important to you.”

Anderson added that he understands people make mistakes but he has never lived under a false identity because “I am who I am.”

The representative added, “In politics, if you want a friend, there’s a reason they say you should have a dog. I have three.”