Thursday, March 28, 2024

Okanogan's Weigle wants seat vacated by Condotta

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NCW Media Managing Editor Gary Bégin interviewed C. Keiki Stacy Weigle recently about why she wants to take the 12th District Representative seat soon to be vacated by Cary Condotta.
 

NCW Media: Why do you want to be our 12th District State Representative?

Keiki Weigle: As stated once by Nobel Peace Prize Recipient, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, "Give the ones you love wings to fly, roots to come back, and reasons to stay." This is the simple and true basis for my motivation to run for office. I want us all to have the roots to come back and reasons to stay and prosper in our 12th Legislative District.
This election is personal to me. My son graduates and heads to college this fall. He loves where we live and wants to come back after college, but he worries the prospects aren't favorable, and he isn't the only one who feels this way. Over the last three years, I’ve listened closely to students, parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents and business owners speak on issues they feel lessen the prospects of living here. We must do better to improve the prospects of living here for our youth, as well as individuals, families, seniors and businesses by setting and meeting clear objectives to get us there.
To improve the prospects for living in our district for residents, including our youth (staying home after schooling is complete or returning home after college), families. seniors or businesses owners, I’ve surmised that there are specific key issues that are interrelated and must be addressed. I think I’m the person to address these issues successfully.

NCW Media: What experience in legislative affairs or management do you have?

Weigle: I have no direct experience as a legislator. From 1978 - 2004, I worked in the fast-paced rollercoaster ride known as the Technology Industry, in and related to Silicon Valley. I primarily served a management and team-building capacity for innovative start-up companies, including Advanced Micro Devices, Sperry Univac Defense Systems, Osbourne Computer, Breakthrough Software, Symantec, CHRONOS Technologies, Plum Hall, Baltimore Technologies and Forterra Systems.
Since 1996, I’ve done business development and product launch projects as a consultant, streamlining my business model to taking on no more than 3 clients per year since 2006. Having travelled for much of my son’s life, I was grateful to spend 2014 through 2018 home with him through his high school years.
Over the last 25 years, I have also enjoyed community service, most recently with Mahalo Meals for wildland firefighters (since 2015), and volunteering at the Omak Stampede (since 2015), doing ticket sales and catering for volunteers.
Party politics aside, I am a professional problem solver and process creator. Having had a successful career in the fast-past technology industry for over 35 years, I have a successful track record in being able to listen, identify and troubleshoot issues or create new options for opportunities, as well as set clear objectives and meet them. That skillset coupled with my work ethics, makes me a viable candidate to legislate for the actions necessary to successfully address key interrelated issues that our district faces, especially when needing to find or create solutions to very interrelated issues that help our district.

NCW Media: What do you see to be the district's major issues?

Weigle: I believe effective representation of our district has been sorely lacking in state legislature. I can’t find a time over the past 20+ years when we have been represented effectively and consistently. Our needs have been overshadowed by more populated and developed districts. That challenge is one a Rep must get beyond, chewing it down like a bulldog and negotiating a way into inclusion. I’m a bulldog and will make our district recognized, relevant and hone in on negotiating our way into effective legislation that includes solutions to address our district’s needs.
If elected, I’ll focus my efforts on addressing the following key interrelated issues that will improve the prospects of living in our district, including:
1. Expanded/Upgraded/Accessible/Affordable State-of-the-Art Technology/Broadband
2. Expanded Education/Vocational Training
3. Universal Healthcare – including Prescription Coverage and LOCAL facilities access to healthcare AND specialists
4. Town Revitalization Programs, New Business Development and Job Growth with Living Wages increasing Town/County Revenues
5. Affordable Housing Programs and Transitional Homeless Shelters
6. Protected Social Security, Expanded Medicare, with Fair Medicaid Options
7. DACA Protection and Immigration/Asylum Legal Paths to Citizenship
8. Honoring Tribal Treaties with Protections for Waters, Lands and Natural Resources
9. Protection of Equal Rights, Civil Rights and Human Rights
10. Expanded Public Safety and Enhanced Community Service Programs (Youth/Seniors)
11. Environmental Protections for Water, Wildlife, Public Lands and Natural Resources
12. Renewable Energy Solutions and Recycling Programs

NCW Media: How do you feel about unfunded mandates from Olympia?

Weigle: The rural counties of our district can't tolerate unfunded mandates, especially if there is risk associated with diverting funds from something critical like public safety. This really couples with the first part of my response to Item #3, above, to make sure the counties of 12thLD get the attention, recognition and legislation that helps them as much as one of our West Coast districts and counties do.

NCW Media: Can you work with Republicans and independents to achieve the greater good?

Weigle: Again, as stated in Item #2, above, and party politics aside, I am a professional problem solver and process creator. That skillset coupled with my successful negotiation skills and work ethics, makes me a viable candidate to legislate for the actions necessary, especially when doing so requires building bridges by successfully reaching across political aisles to find or create workable and acceptable solutions to very interrelated issues that will directly include and help our district.

NCW Media: What are your thoughts about the Hirst and/or McCleary decisions?

Weigle: On Hirst, although Senate Bill 6091 allowed our state budget to pass, I believe it is too soon to tell if the current legislation provides for viable water supply solutions for property owners and affordable homes while protecting our streamflows for fish. I think we will need to be monitoring this closely and start anticipating any changes now that we need to start working and that may be deemed necessary.
As for the McCleary, I am supportive of the decision and the additional $1billion in funding. What next steps are necessary will depend on whether or not the state’s budget can fully fund, in a timely manner, as required by the court’s decision. There can not be sacrifices or any funds forfeited with delays when it comes to funding education for WA State kids.

NCW Media: If elected, what goals do you have to bring more business and/or tourism to the district?

Weigle: My goals are based on what I have head for almost four years my neighbors in the 12th Legislative District. My efforts would be toward effectively legislating to satisfy the 12 interrelated issues I have identified under Item #3, above - starting with Technology/Broadband. Upgrading and expanding state-of-the-art Technology/Broadband across our district will bring new business and jobs. Certainly, it is more complex than what I’m stating here. However, I’m confident technology bringing new business and jobs will increase tax revenues to allow for funding of programs to support most of the remaining interrelated issues identified, including tourism and town revitalizations.

NCW Media: How do you feel about tariffs in regards to the economic importance of agriculture to the district?

Weigle: I’m furious over the tariffs. I find they are haphazard and dangerous to our local economic viability, livelihoods and cost of living. I’m as concerned as our growers are and would work toward ending tariffs that cost those growers and negatively impact our state economy. These tariffs are not making our agriculturally driven part of America great. Sadly, if they are not reversed, I fear our residents of the 12th LD and State, as well as the rest of the country will suffer from resulting increased prices.

NCW Media: Do you have an opinion about the cannabis industry or Bitcoin and how it can be helped (or not)?

Weigle: I’d like to see medical cannabis more affordable and less restrictive for home growers. I also think that as a medical cannabis grower, it is ridiculous to be prevented from being a gun owner. As for recreational cannabis, I feel that it should be sold, as are cigarettes and alcohol – with some restrictions and guild lines to protect minors.

NCW Media: Feel free to tell the readers about yourself: Family, hobbies, passions, education, etc.

Weigle: Thank you. Mahalo for this opportunity to share my responses. A fun fact, “Keiki (pronounced like “Kaye-Key”) is short for Keikilani, which means lovely child and is one of my middle names that was given to me from the elders on the Hawaiian side of my family.





I’m originally from and educated in the San Francisco Bay Area, I’ve been fortunate to have lived in several states and several countries for throughout my career path in the technology industry.
I relocated with my family, which includes my husband, son and stepson, to Okanogan in early 2015. This cross-country move from Palm Beach County, Florida to Okanogan was like coming home for me. Summers of my youth were spent camping, hunting and fishing in Chelan, Douglas, Grant and Okanogan Counties, where my father wanted to eventually retire. His dream never came to fruition before he passed away and I’m thrilled that my family loves the area and my children want to return home after college to live in the area. We call where we live, “our forever home” because it is.
You’ll find that I’m not a traditional candidate, nor am I running a traditional campaign. I have purple hair and it’s staying that way. I have a strong multicultural and multiracial upbringing, raised Buddhist and Christian, with loving family bonds. Yes, Ohana is my #1 priority, always has been… always will be, and I look at the folks living in the 12th Legislative District as extended Ohana.
I have a diligent work ethic that will only continue with clearly set objectives to meet. I won’t court corporations with special interests who seek influence or control. I’ll run a barebones campaign, putting minimal effort toward fundraising, while keeping expenses to a minimum and my travel effectively planned. I find it far more effective to listen face-to-face, get to know folks and answer direct questions from individuals or small groups. I look forward to meeting and getting to know you as I travel through our district.
I hope that you get to know me, too. If we see eye-to-eye on the key issues, I hope that I can earn your confidence and your vote to be your strong voice in Olympia.
On a final note… I can be a real a typoqueen on social media and in emails. Please don’t hold that against me. Just put me to work for you on what really matters.
Mahalo nui e malama pono (thank you and best wishes).

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