Ramiro Valderrama is running for the 45th Legislative District Position 1 seat. Make sure you vote Aug. 2. I spent two hours with Ramiro getting to know him. He is very engaging, knowledgeable, down to earth and willing to listen. He’s also a family man — very caring, supportive and likable.
Ramiro seems to know just about everybody in Redmond and Sammamish — where he’s deputy mayor. I admire his advocacy and expertise on key issues — the environment, mental health, safety, education and transportation.
He is certainly well-qualified. A West Point graduate, engineer, corporate executive of 25 years, world traveler and a five-plus year public servant for Sammamish. Ramiro Valderrama has what it takes to represent us in the 45th. I’m endorsing him. Here’s why:
Education: Ramiro’s four children attended Lake Washington School District. He’s a STEM school adviser for the district. He wants new sources of revenue and will push for an internet transaction tax.
An internet tax would generate billions for the state with all going to education. He’s for charter schools. Seventy percent of the kiddos enrolled in charter schools are one to two years behind. They’re not just for the elite.
Mental health: Ramiro participated in the “National Alliance for the Mentally Ill” fundraiser event in Kirkland. He’s endorsed by MH-PAC, a political action committee designed to support candidates who are committed to improving access to ethical mental health treatment. The committee is supported by seven mental health groups and about 2,500 clinicians and consumers are members.
Safety: Ramiro is well-credentialed. He’s the vice chair of the Regional Sound Cities Commission of Law, Justice and Public Safety committee. Valderrama was unanimously endorsed by all the commissioners of the Eastside Fire and Rescue board. He’s on the Sammamish Public Safety Committee. You can’t help but feel safe with Ramiro.
Environment: King County removed 2,000 trees from the north section of the Sammamish River Trail, including 260 significant and landmark trees. Ramiro was two years ahead of the Sammamish City Council in his fight versus King County to save trees during the build-out of the central sections of the Sammamish River Trail.
Ramiro fought the City Council majority to save trees and for property rights on the trail. Yet still, he won his second election by 83 percent. The council recently voted unanimously under Ramiro’s leadership to remove the county from their jurisdiction over the trail.
Transportation: Ramiro says no to tolls on I-405, calling them regressive. He isn’t too excited about ST3. The $54 billion package would raise taxes by over $1,000 on a $700,000 house. It reduces bus service and Eastside residents pay a proportionally heavier cost. He calls ST3 “taxation without transportation.”
Please vote for Valderrama on Aug. 2.
Bob Yoder
Redmond
