State Rep. Mark Miloscia, who made the jump from utility district commissioner to state politics in 1998, will have four years of incumbency in the Legislature on his side when he formally begins his re-election bid next Wednesday.

Miloscia, a Democrat, will make his candidacy official in a campaign fund-raiser at 5 p.m. at the Best Western Hotel in Federal Way. State Auditor Brian Sonntag will headline the event as a way of emphasizing one of Miloscia’s pet projects and campaign themes: Performance audits of state agencies and financial efficiency in state government.

“Simply put, we need to make government cheaper, faster and better,” Miloscia said.

He said that to help restore “public confidence in government,” more audit authority is needed to pinpoint programs that aren’t meeting their objectives cost-effectively.

Miloscia, who served with the Air Force in the 1980s as a pilot, executive officer and contract manager, was a Lakehaven Utility District commissioner (1996-99) before running in 1998 for the 30th District’s Position 1 seat in the House of Representatives. He defeated the better-known Skip Priest, a Republican former mayor of Federal Way.

Miloscia won his second two-year term in 2000, defeating Republican Tom Pierson.

Jim Ferrell, a Republican and King County deputy prosecutor, is Miloscia’s only announced opponent this year. The official candidate filing period with county election officials will be July 22-26.

Ferrell’s campaign kickoff was Wednesday. About 150 supporters, including King County Prosecuting Attorney Norm Maleng and state Rep. Mary Mitchell, attended the breakfast event in Federal Way.

Editor Pat Jenkins can be reached at 925-5565 and editor@fedwaymirror.com

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