Jamie Pedersen: He'll Fight For What's Right • Our Future Depends on Public Education My mom, dad, aunt, uncle, cousins and partner have all dedicated their lives to teaching in our state's public schools. For them to succeed, our state must commit to fund education amply and provide the innovation necessary to help our next generation. That means lowering class sizes, providing all-day kindergarten and making pre-school affordable for everyone. Since I was elected, I have visited every public school in the 43rd District and have worked closely with the Seattle Public Schools on providing them the support they need in Olympia. Having four kids headed for Stevens Elementary, Washington Middle School, and Garfield High School gives new meaning to the term "paramount duty"! • Improve Transportation and the Environment The 43rd District is ground zero for our transportation infrastructure challenges. I am proud to have helped pass the plan to replace the SR 99 Viaduct with a deep-bore tunnel and am working hard on a solution for SR 520 that optimizes transit use and protects the neighborhoods of our district. I have also been watching closely as Sound Transit begins construction of the light rail tunnel through the heart of our district and am working to make sure that that project connects with the SR 520 project. I believe that the state should give counties more and better tools to support buses and light rail. And, as a bike commuter for eighteen years, I have been working on bicycle safety issues as well. • Everyone Deserves the Same Rights As a gay man, I have faced discrimination. As a civil rights attorney, I have helped people about to lose the family home, a loved one's inheritance or custody of children because gay men and lesbians aren't treated equally under the law. But we can't and shouldn't have to protect our community one family at a time. I am proud to be hard at work on changing the law so that all families are valued and respected equally.