Patch Candidate Q&A: Cindy Ryu, 32nd District Representative Position 1

NAME: Cindy Ryu

OFFICE SOUGHT:  State Representative, 32nd LD, Postion #1

PARTY AFFILIATION: Democrat

TOWN OF RESIDENCE: Shoreline

CURRENT OCCUPATION: State Representative, 32nd LD, Postion #1

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Multi-line insurance agent (24 years); Currently commercial property owner and manager 

WEBSITE:     www.cindyryu.org

WHAT IS THE MOST PRESSING ISSUE FACING VOTERS IN YOUR DISTRICT:     The affordability of living safely in suburban King and Snohomish Counties, especially in the face of decreased family income and less public services such as no Sunday services by Community Transit due to their reduced budgets and not being able to care adequately for mentally ill members of our society.

IF ELECTED, WHAT WILL YOU DO IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS IN OFFICE TO
ADDRESS THIS ISSUE? Along with my colleagues in the House of Representatives, I will work to balance the State’s budget through all possible tools available to us.  The challenges will be how to meet our needs and values, including our obligation of amply funding K-12 education while under the unconstitutional requirement of 1/3 of the members of either the House or the Senate (i.e. a small minority of EITHER chamber of the Legislature) over-riding any majority decisions about taxes, including removal of tax exemptions because of Tim Eyman’s Initiatives I-1053 and perhaps even I-1185 which is on the November 6th ballot. 

DO YOU SUPPORT/OPPOSE REFERENDUM 74: SHOULD GAY MARRIAGE BE LEGAL IN WASHINGTON? BRIEFLY, WHY? I voted for the marriage equality bill in the last session.  Throughout the world, marriage has historically NOT always been exclusively between one man and one woman.  As recently as last century, some heterosexual couples were not allowed to marry in many states because of their ethnicity.  I am in a heterosexual marriage and my husband and I will be celebrating our 30thwedding anniversary in a few months.  I would not deny other committed couples the same right to legally marry.     

DO YOU SUPPORT/OPPOSE, INITIATIVE 502 TO MAKE SMALL AMOUNTS OF
MARIJUANA LEGAL TO PEOPLE 21 AND OLDER? BRIEFLY, WHY? I support I-502.  Our current drug policy on marijuana is not working.  In fact, we are spending a lot of our very limited public resources on arresting and jailing disproportionate number of persons of color for possession of Marijuana.  Just as Prohibition was removed on alcohol, we need to regulate and honestly address our priorities regarding marijuana.