Geoff Simpson: A Record of Results

Supporting Working Families:

Like us, Geoff is working hard to provide the best future for his family and help everyone through these tough economic times. Geoff helped pass the Family Leave Act so families with new babies or sick relatives can take care of their loved ones.

Geoff sponsored the Apple Health Care for Kids Act which makes progress toward our goal of making sure all our children have health care.

Geoff fought off attempts to weaken Washington's minimum wage and to protect and enhance benefits and opportunities for those that find themselves out of work and struggling to hang on.

Protecting Consumers:

Taking on insurance companies, Geoff sponsored a new law aimed at stopping the practice of unscrupulous insurers unfairly denying insurance claims.

Geoff also supported legislation that reined in shady lenders and mortgage companies.

Geoff also prime-sponsored a pair of new laws to increase the regulatory power of the Washington Department of Financial Institutions so they can better crack down on and bad banks and credit unions.

Strengthening the Economy and Creating Jobs:

Washington's economy is better off than most states, largely because of the thousands of direct and indirect jobs created by transportation investments Geoff fought for in the 2003 and 2005 sessions that are being built today.

This session, Geoff co-sponsored The Jobs Act which creates 30,000 jobs while repairing our schools and saving taxpayers $150 million a year in energy costs. The Washington Works Housing Act creates 8,000 jobs and increases affordable workforce housing.

Thanks to Geoff's leadership and prime-sponsorship of HB 2214, plans to construct a new consolidated rental car facility at SeaTac Airport were un-stalled, creating 3,000 construction jobs at a time when construction workers are experiencing the highest unemployment rates in decades.

Creating Efficient and Effective Government:

Geoff has focused on improving government efficiency and accountability by consolidating and reducing the size of state agencies and responding to audits that are critical of waste, fraud and abuse. Geoff worked to eliminate tax loopholes that shift the burden onto working families and small businesses and do little or nothing to benefit our state or its families.

Geoff believes government can and should squeeze every bit of efficiency out of each tax dollar collected. Geoff supports tax relief for the poor and middle class, those on a fixed income and for struggling small businesses while those benefiting the most from our state's economy should pay their fair share.

Protecting our Children and Improving our Schools:

Geoff has spent his time as our state representative advocating for our children and schools by working on comprehensive education reform, supporting our teachers and other educational staff.

He passed a new law to empower school crossing guards to report drivers who endanger our children in cross walks and school zones, and allow law enforcement officials to use those reports to fine those unsafe drivers. As a local firefighter, he hopes this new law will mean he will never have to respond to another incident where a careless driver has injured or killed one of our kids.

Experts agree – Washington is a Great Place for Business!

Who do you trust more, financial experts, leading economist and policy institutes who exist solely to evaluate and rank the business environment in states around the U.S. – or politicians who parrot their party’s talking points to try to gain personally and politically by talking bad about Washington State?

It’s a shame that some candidates and politicians seek person gain by engaging in untrue rhetoric about Washington State’s business climate and encouraging a race to the bottom that means lower wages and benefits for Washington’s struggling families, but it happens all the time.

I think that we can always do better and will continue to work to eliminate unnecessary impediments to business success while protecting the rights and benefits of employees.

See for yourself: The Washington State Labor Council has done a great job of compiling links to reliable sources who agree – Washington is a Great Place for Business!