My Progressive Five-Point Agenda

I’m running for re-election because in this time of rapid change and growing uncertainty, Seattle needs experienced and progressive leadership working for our communities. I’ve put together this Five-Point Plan as an agenda for my campaign and to highlight the priorities I will focus on in Olympia next session.

Building Homes and Hope

The housing and homelessness crisis doesn’t just affect Seattle – it challenges our entire state – and it demands action to develop thousands of homes affordable for workers, students, and those without a home. I’ve spent much of my life fighting for affordable housing and services for our neighbors in need. I know the steps we need to take, the investments we need to make, and the partnerships we need to build to tackle this challenge.

  • Acquire public and non-profit properties, at no or little cost, for social housing, co-located with community facilities for early learning, health clinics, and more.
  • Continue to add major new revenue sources for affordable housing, including an assessment on high salaries in large corporations.
  • Address homelessness as a public health emergency. Empower doctors to order a prescription for a home, through a housing voucher, if medically necessary for those suffering from mental illness or substance use disorders.
  • Expand the rights of tenants and rent assistance in the costly housing market.
  • Create cottage housing (small homes with full basic utilities), to lower the cost of new construction, as a model across King County and Washington state.

A few examples…

  • Co-founded Washington State’s Housing Trust Fund, which has invested over a billion dollars in affordable, non-profit housing across the state, including 100 apartment buildings in and close to the 43rd District.
  • Dedicated half of the hotel/motel tax in King County for affordable housing for low-wage workers.
  • Created and increased funding for the Home Security Fund, dedicated to providing emergency housing and services for the homeless.
  • Initiated the Home and Hope project, which has acquired over 20 major public properties for building hundreds of units of affordable housing in Seattle.
  • Enacted legislation creating hundreds of millions of dollars for Seattle and King County to invest in affordable workforce housing and supportive housing for people suffering from mental illness and substance use disorders.
  • Co-founded the Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI) which has developed thousands of non-profit, rent-restricted apartment units in Seattle and beyond.

 

A Thriving Workforce for Today and the Future

Every student deserves access to high quality post-secondary education without enormous loans and the burden of student debt. I’m ready to implement and expand Washington’s groundbreaking Workforce Education Investment Act and work so everyone can participate and thrive in our modern economy.

  • Implement Free College Tuition especially for those who need it the most.
  • Create a public bank, in partnership with non-profit credit unions, for low-interest student loans, to relieve students and families of burdensome debt.
  • Extend free college tuition and forgive existing student loans for graduate degrees, apprenticeships and professions in areas of great public need (behavioral health for example), and partner with employers to pay for it.
  • Promote accountability in higher education through legislation for Truth in Tuition and other innovative ideas.

A few examples…

  • Initiated and served as the lead architect of the landmark Workforce Education Investment Act of 2019, granting free college tuition for those who need it the most in Washington state, and other major investments.
  • Enacted the Dream Act and Dream Act 2.0, providing a pathway for undocumented immigrant Washingtonians to receive student financial aid.
  • Created the Washington State Opportunity Scholarship, helping low-income and middle-class Washingtonians reach good paying careers in technology and health care.

 

Early Education and Child Care: Our Best Investment

Right now, it is a critical equity issue that too many families can’t find or afford the child care their kids need. The best investment we can make in our future is in early learning and childcare, ensuring every kid gets the educational foundation they need to succeed.

  • Expand the Early Education and Assistance Program and Working Connections Child Care, towards universal coverage for all.
  • Expand funding to increase the wages, health benefits, and training for the teachers and support workers.
  • Dedicate progressive revenue (capital gains on investments in stocks and bonds, and other sources) to pay for the best investment we can make in early learning.
  • Expand the state’s Early Education Facilities Fund, to provide decent classrooms and facilities, co-located with affordable, non-profit housing.

A few examples…

  • Expanded the Early Childhood Education Assistance Program.
  • Increased funding ($100 million over the next three years) for Working Connection Child Care to keep early learning providers in business and subsidize low-income parents.
  • Helped enact “Breakfast After the Bell” to provide nutritious food for low-income kids.
  • Enacted legislation in support of the union of child care workers, advocating for better pay, benefits, and training.

 

Apple Health Care for All

With so much uncertainty surrounding healthcare at the federal level, Washington state must continue to lead the movement towards healthcare for all. This means addressing the wide variety of healthcare needs in our state, including for women, people of color, seniors, low-income communities, and those with behavioral health challenges.

  • Build the new UW Behavioral Health Hospital to replace the failed Western State Hospital, and the new Behavioral Health Institute in Seattle as a welcoming front door for people facing mental illness and substance use disorders.
  • Implement Cascade Care, the newly-enacted public option in Washington state, for those who need affordable health care.
  • Expand Social Security and Medicare through the Long-term Care Trust Act.
  • Initiate a plan to create a state-funded, non-profit factory to manufacture insulin and other high-cost drugs.

A few examples…

  • Initiated and implemented Apple Health for All Kids, providing free health care to half the young people in Washington State.
  • Expanded Medicaid and included dental care for low-income people as part of Obamacare.
  • Prime sponsored legislation to create a new Behavioral Health Teaching Hospital at the University of Washington.
  • Led legislative actions and investments in the new Behavioral Health Institute at Harborview Medical Center.
  • Helped enact Cascade Care, the first state-level public option for the uninsured.
  • Enacted legislation to helped create the best home care program in the nation, based on a partnership with the Service Employees International Union, 775.
  • Helped enact the Reproductive Parity Act and other legislation, to promote women’s health and guarantee a women’s right to choose.
  • Enacted landmark, best in the nation, paid family leave and long-term care trusts.

 

Climate: Green Power – Blue Collar

Building a coalition of environmental advocates and labor unions committed to real climate solutions and new economic opportunities, is the right approach to take. As the effects of climate change continue to worsen, there is much more work to be done.

  • Implement the state legislation mandating 100% clean electrical power plants.
  • Pass a progressive Clean Fuel Standard, as they have in Oregon and California, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality especially in our low-income communities and communities of color that are disproportionately impacted by transportation emissions.
  • Take steps to electrify cars and trucks, the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Support public transit for the benefit of the entire community.
  • Identify specific communities in need of environmental clean-up for social and economic justice, and make sure polluters pay for it.
  • Help enact local Green New Deal programs to lay the groundwork for a better future for us all. 

A few examples…

  • Enacted legislation to require 100% clean electricity – one of the best clean energy transition mandates in America.
  • Strengthened energy codes for buildings to reduce emissions and improve efficiency.
  • Helped pass the Clean Fuels Standard through the state House of Representatives.
  • Raised taxes on oil companies to expand the Model Toxics Control Act.
  • Enacted new revenue authority for Metro Transit and Sound Transit.
  • Banned the use of several toxic chemicals including PFAS and hydrofluorocarbons (a major greenhouse gas).
  • Initiated the first para-transit program, Seattle Personal Transit (now part of the non-profit Solid Ground), which led to the Access vans of Metro Transit, providing door-to-door service for people with disabilities who cannot get to the bus stops without our help.

Federal Way Mirror
FUSION opens first shelter for homeless families in Federal Way

Federal Way’s first-ever short-term shelter for homeless families opened last week, and just like its namesake, the Pete Andersen FUSION Family Center is a big deal.... Several residents were honored for their contributions to the project, along with words spoken by former Washington StateRead More

Statement
Rep. Frank Chopp Statement on Primary Election Results

Seventy percent of the votes cast are for Democrats, and I am pleased with the strong first place showing we have tonight. I’m proud of the coalition of labor, student, and education groups, pro-choice advocates, and diverse community leaders that have given our campaign great momentum. I look forward to the general election!

Fuse WA
Fuse Progressive Voters Guide Recommends Frank Chopp

Chopp has dedicated his career to advocating for long-term resources to address homelessness, health care, and affordable housing. This year, Rep. Chopp voted to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation fuels and increase business and occupation tax on largeRead More

Press Release
State Representative Frank Chopp Calls for Action on Law Enforcement Reforms

Progressive leader on housing, health care and education will help bring needed focus to pressing, community-driven reforms to policing and racial bias.  Seattle – State Representative Frank Chopp (D-Seattle) is calling for urgent legislative action on a package to address law enforcement training, conduct, and funding. “For many days, Americans across the nation have peacefully … Continued

Press Release
Chopp Announces Plan to Fund Needed Pandemic Response and Community Investments with Progressive Revenue

Proposal would help prevent cuts and fund community health, early childhood education, and support for working families through a “Fair Share Contribution” from large corporations, highest earners, and more Seattle – Today, State Rep. Frank Chopp announced his ‘Public Priorities and Progressive Revenues Plan’ – a set of proposals to respond to COVID-19 and invest … Continued

Capitol Hill Blog
Chopp announces another run to represent the 43rd

In his announcement, Chopp highlighted his part in building “a 20-year Democratic majority that passed significant legislation to expand health care, build union membership throughout Washington, raise teacher salaries, safeguard reproductive rights and women’s health care, reduce gun violence,Read More

Vox
A closer look at Washington’s superb new 100% clean electricity bill

"That’s the magic sauce, what Washington’s bill does better than any other state clean energy bill I’ve seen: It aligns the interests of utilities, energy developers, and unions behind the project of equitable decarbonization. They all benefit from it. That makes them allies in the fight,Read More


The Stranger Endorses Frank.

LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT NO. 43 Representative Position No. 2: Frank Chopp The SECB loves a badass socialist. (See Sawant, Kshama.) But socialist Jess Spear didn’t convince us she’s ready to bring the people’s revolution to Olympia, and we think longtime House Speaker Frank Chopp and his maddening incrementalism will actually do more for the issues we care about, … Continued


5. Progressive Change

5 Progressive Change “Thanks to Frank’s work electing a progressive majority in the legislature, the Washington legislature became the first in the country to repeal the so-called Defense of Marriage Act and enact marriage equality. Frank is a passionate advocate for social justice and civil rights for all.” – Jamie Pedersen, State Senator, 43rd District


4. The Safety Net

4 The Safety Net “Frank always stands up for the most vulnerable in our community. He led the effort to expand services to help the homeless, including saving and reforming the Disability Lifeline program for the mentally ill and others with disabilities.” – Tony Lee, Statewide Poverty Action Network


3. Education

3 Education “Teachers and parents know they have a progressive leader in Frank Chopp for education. He led the way for a new $1.3 billion investment in K-12 Basic Education and he will continue to close tax loopholes and identify new funding sources to meet our obligation to our schools.” – Kate Sipe, teacher at … Continued


2. The Environment

2 The Environment “With Frank’s strong leadership, we passed the toughest laws in the nation banning toxic chemicals. I can always count on Frank to protect our children from toxic toys and our environment from harmful chemicals.” – Laurie Valeriano, environmental health advocate


1. Supporting Working People

1 Supporting Working People “As a community activist and then as a legislator, Frank Chopp played an important role in raising the state minimum wage to the highest in the country. In the legislature, Frank is the leader standing up for working people and a Shared Prosperity agenda — passing paid sick leave, preventing wage … Continued


Seattle’s minimum-wage win spurs talk to target more cities.

Seattle Times – June 4, 2014 Gov. Jay Inslee and House Speaker Frank Chopp, both Democrats, favor raising the state minimum wage to as high as $12 an hour…Chopp vowed to again push a bill to raise the minimum wage to $12 over three years in the next legislative session. Keep reading: http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2023769933_wagefoloxml.html


Housing for homeless sought at Sand Point.

Seattle Times – Apr 22, 2014 Organizations that work on behalf of the homeless have created a committee to look at housing options at the Sand Point Naval Station…Frank Chopp and Martha Dilts are leading the committee that’s studying options. Keep reading: http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19910711&slug=1293887


SeaTac minimum wage proposal scores key endorsements.

Seattle Times – September 17, 2013 A proposed $15-an-hour minimum wage for hospitality and transportation workers in SeaTac scored endorsements Tuesday from 20 elected Democrats, including U.S. Rep. Adam Smith, King County Executive Dow Constantine and state House Speaker Frank Chopp. Read more: http://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2021844114_seatacmeasurexml.html


SeaTac minimum wage proposal scores key endorsements.

Twenty Democratic officeholders announced their support for a union-backed measure that would raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour for hospitality and transportation workers in SeaTac. Seattle Times – September 17, 2013 By Amy Martinez Seattle Times business reporter A proposed $15-an-hour minimum wage for hospitality and transportation workers in SeaTac scored endorsements Tuesday from … Continued

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