Election winners share goals for session

"When the first election results revealed state Rep. Mark Miloscia held a 58 percent lead over opponent Tom Pierson, Miloscia (D-Federal Way) relaxed and turned his attention to other races.State Rep. Maryann Mitchell (R-Federal Way), too, says that her bid for re-election was far from the nail-biter of the presidential race - It didn't come as much of a surprise. As of 7 a.m. on Friday, Miloscia had received 17,245 votes, or 57.8 percent, while Pierson had 12,578 votes, or 42.1 percent. Mitchell beat opponent Michael Maine 17,336 votes to 11,508 votes (60 percent versus 39.8 percent).Both Miloscia and Mitchell say they're eager to learn the outcome of three close state representative races that could shift the balance of power in the state House of Representatives. If two Democrats and one Republican are elected, the House will retain its 49-49 split. If not, the balance of power will shift to one side or the other.It makes a huge difference, Mitchell said.Depending on the result of those elections, Mitchell will either share a gavel once more with a Democrat member on the Transportation Committee or she'll be the lone chair of the committee.You always like to have that gavel by yourself, she said. I don't know if I do or not.Whichever side of the aisle those last three representatives sit on, it will take bipartisan support to get bills passed, Miloscia said.If it's something radical, it's real easy to peel one or two votes away, he said. Once you set the agenda, you still have to work in a bipartisan manner.While Mitchell says she'll continue her focus on transportation, Miloscia says he'll fight for several issues, including transportation, government accountability and education.Along that vein, Miloscia says he'll work for cutting the state's extraneous regulations, public oversight of government activities, more power for local school districts and charter schools. He says he wants to talk to charter school opponents and find out why they didn't like Initiative 729. It's only a matter of time before charter schools become a reality, he said, and he supports giving parents more educational options for their children.There is broad-based support for it, said Miloscia of charter schools. We have to find the right model for it. The thing you learn in Olympia, it's the art of consensus.His two years of experience serving as a legislator also have given him the determination to work to get bills passed, but the understanding about the necessity of patience. It's a slow process, he said. That's what you have to realize about government. It's like herding a gaggle of geese.Suburban legislators like him and Mitchell will play a powerful role in the Legislature's future, he said. Before, suburban concerns were pushed to the back burner. Suburban congestion problems mean that's no longer the case.I think people are starting to realize suburban cities have unique solutions, Miloscia said. They can't just be put into the urban and rural category.This session will be tough, Mitchell says. The tight budget means transportation projects won't get done. This week, she wearily said she doesn't know where the Legislature will find the money to do some of the needed projects, such as fixing the ferry system or improving highways.The public's beliefs about the state budget, as evidenced by the passage of Initiative 695, make it harder. There's such a disconnect between the public's perception of what we can do and the reality of what we can provide with the money we have, she said. ... Service will be cut. Projects people want won't get done. "

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