Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Rob McKenna, state attorney general made a campaign stop Saturday evening in Tekoa. McKenna’s wife, Marilyn, is the daughter of Susan Sieveke, former Tekoa resident.
Apple slices, red punch, turkey wraps and WSU napkins were part of the Saturday campaign stop at the Tekoa Gymkanna grounds.
McKenna greeted the assembled crowd and delivered an address with a small public address system.
“I have a simple idea,” he said. “It’s time for a change in Olympia.”
He continued on to say that it needs to be less expensive for small business owners to hire employees in Washington. He called for unemployment insurance reform and “especially regulatory reform.”
He talked about what he would require in an agency head under a McKenna administration.
“Help Wanted: Agency Director; must have private sector experience,” he said. “I don’t care how smart you are, without this experience you have a limited perspective.”
He noted the stronghold Democrats have had on the governor’s office in Washington state.
“The last time we elected a Republican governor was the first time I voted,” said McKenna, a 1980 graduate of Samammish High School.
McKenna was the student-body president that year and went on to be student-body president at University of Washington.
He noted that when he was at UW, 16 percent of the state budget supported higher education; now eight percent of the budget goes to higher education.
“I want to suggest to you that’s not acceptable,” said McKenna.
He then talked about a program he uses in the Attorney General’s office which allows for paying employees based on performance vs. just years on the job.
“Every agency in state government ought to aim to be the best state agency in America,” he said.
McKenna wrapped up his comments and passed the microphone once more to his mother-in-law, who said a few words.
She thanked everyone for coming and added one more thing.
“I wouldn’t mind spending Christmas Eve at the governor’s mansion,” she admitted.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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