Requires listening

Rep. Joe Schmick is one of the most gracious men I have known in both my professional career and personal life. He’s thoughtful and direct and tells you how things are. While he is soft-spoken, he doesn’t sugar coat things and he carefully considers your input, even when he doesn’t necessarily agree. I’ve found him to be very open and a wealth of knowledge about the issues facing our state government.

It was surprising to me, then, to see how rudely Rep. Schmick was treated by his opponent at the recent voter’s forum in Pullman last week. His opponent came across as condescending, arrogant and made accusations that are unsubstantiated. That’s not the kind of leadership I want representing me in Olympia.

Rep. Schmick knows the struggles facing our farmers and small business owners because he’s been there himself. He knows the issues our small communities face, like meeting water and sewer mandates with dwindling resources. He understands that there are two sides to every story and the answers aren’t as easy as spending more of our money.

It’s easy to make promises when you don’t know the obstacles or the balance required in a situation. Being a legislator is not an easy job. It is a job that requires listening more and talking less. Rep. Schmick has the character and knowledge to serve us well.

--Tammy Lewis, Colfax