Washington State House District 27 Pos. 2
State Representative Term: 2 years Salary: $72,494Washington's House of Representatives has 98 members; two from each legislative district in the state. Representatives are elected to two-year terms, so the total membership of the House is up for election each even-numbered year.During legislative sessions, the Legislature is called upon to: enact or reject legislation affecting public policy in the state; provide for the levy and collection of taxes and other revenue to support state government and assist local government; and appropriate funds for these purposes. The House also has the exclusive power to bring impeachment proceedings. Although laws are enacted only when the Legislature is convened in formal session, policy issues and the general operation of state and local government are under continuous review by legislators serving on permanent and interim study committees.
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Jake Fey
(Dem)
What would be your top budget priorities, and where would you look for additional revenue OR savings if reductions became necessary?
What actions, if any, should Washington state take to strengthen public confidence in elections and civic participation?
What do you see as the most effective state-level strategies to improve public safety in Washington state?
What role, if any, should Washington state play in supporting local journalism and ensuring access to reliable local news and information?
What changes to the Washington state redistricting process, if any, would you support for 2031?
What is the greatest challenge facing your legislative district, and what role should state government play in addressing it?
Campaign Phone Number
2535766927
Biography (max 750 char)
Rep. Jake Fey has represented the 27th Legislative District since 2013. Raised in Port Angeles by his widowed mother, he worked 30 hours a week in high school to support his family and became the first in his family to graduate from college (UW; MPA, University of Puget Sound). A former Tacoma Deputy Mayor and longtime director of the WSU Energy Program, Fey chairs the House Transportation Committee, where he led passage of the $17 billion Move Ahead Washington package. His priorities include climate action, combating homelessness, affordable higher education, living-wage jobs, and protecting reproductive and gender-affirming healthcare. He has lived in Tacoma for over 30 years and has two children, two grandchildren, and a loving wife.
My current focus is on the bleeding transportation budget, which threatens our infrastructure and our ability to maintain it. Revenues are declining due to our current tax structure being left behind by increased energy efficiency in vehicles, so I plan on pursuing additional revenue through a tax on more efficient vehicles. This will also shift the burden off of working families.
I believe the state of Washington has a great track record of facilitating citizen's participation in registering to vote. We have forwarded and passed legislation to prevent restrictions on voting. While I don't have a specific recommendation for civic participation, I believe this is a key issue that we should spend time solving.
I believe strategies that consider the overall individual circumstances of those who violate state laws have increased fairness in the system. At the same time, people must be held responsible for their actions and our laws are only as strong as their enforcement. Our justice system must prioritize reducing overall crime and harm, over punishment for its own sake.
I think the proper role for the legislature is to support individuals who wish to make a career out of journalism via providing financial assistance. We must support students and young adults as they begin their careers and offer the stability they need.
We should seriously consider the establishment of a non-partisan group, perhaps an independent panel appointed by the judiciary, to determine districts. We should take redistricting power out of the hands of partisan political interests.
The greatest challenge is the mandate in the state constitution that binds the state to adequately fund education for all. This is a state-wide problem, but K-12 education reform is of extra importance for my district. We must offer school districts the tools they need to respond to harmful circumstances before they arise.
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