Incumbent Roger Bush gets some competition

09/07/2000

Mary Butler; The News Tribune

Pierce County

Three Democrats and one Republican are facing off in the 2nd District House primary in hopes of unseating Rep. Roger Bush (R-Frederickson), who has held the post for two terms.

A locked-out steelworker, an excavating contractor and a high school teacher - each with interests as varied as their careers - are vying for the Democratic ballot position. A self-described gadfly who is upset about refuse issues is challenging Bush in the Republican primary.

Each has something to say about how they might address issues affecting their hometowns, such as congested roads and overcrowded schools - as well as statewide concerns - if elected.

Here's a rundown of what voters have to consider when casting their primary ballots on Sept. 19 in the sprawling 120,000-resident district, which includes Eatonville, Spanaway, Graham and parts of South Hill.

The Democrats

Abe Adams

Adams, a Kaiser Aluminum Corp. steelworker and Army veteran, has been locked out of his job for 19 months. If elected, he said, he'll visit every house in the 2nd District, which includes most of rural Pierce County.

"I have time - plenty of time," said Adams. "I can let them know why they should vote for school bonds and levies. I can talk to residents about the need for the cross-base highway. And, of course, I can listen to their concerns."

The first-time candidate's interest in politics piqued this spring after a House bill fizzled that would have given locked-out steelworkers a 26-week unemployment benefits extension.

"I got mad," said Adams, who was a delegate to the Democratic Convention in Los Angeles in August. His experiences lobbying for steel-worker issues inspired him to run for office.

Adams said he would work toward solutions for issues, particularly traffic congestion, environmental concerns surrounding the new Pierce County dump and overcrowded schools.

He supports building the cross-base highway and wants to help the 15,700-student Bethel School District in its efforts to pass a bond issue to build new schools.

Ron Bauer

Bauer, 47, is a special education teacher at Tacoma's Stadium High School.

Bauer has been interested in politics for more than 20 years, working on campaigns for Tacoma City Councilman Steve Kirby and Sen. Henry Jackson's bid for the presidency in the early '70s.

But it was the recent national debate over the cost of medical care and prescription drugs for the elderly that sparked Bauer's candidacy.

"People shouldn't have to make decisions about whether to buy the prescriptions they need or use that money to pay rent," he said.

Bauer said he is sickened by the thick stack of medical bills his mother-in-law, a diabetic, faces every month.

"Seniors need to have access to the medical care they need," he said. "We just need to find a way to get there."

Helping to ease overcrowding in public schools that have trouble gaining voter approval for construction bonds and fighting crime, particularly methamphetamine labs, are top concerns, too.

Tamara McFadden Kresse

Kresse, who runs a small excavation business with her husband, said she wants to be as good of a small businesses advocate in the Legislature as she is a heavy equipment operator.

She was spurred into action after her husband, a diabetic, recently became ill. They shut down their business until he recovered.

"There was no money coming in, but we still had to pay taxes," Kresse said. "It really struck me how much small businesses are taxed. I decided to do something about it instead of just sitting around (complaining)."

The first-time candidate, born and raised in Spanaway, described herself as "a mouthy instigator" who could be the loudspeaker for the 2nd District's residents.

"I'm not afraid of anything," Kresse said. "When I see something happening that's not right, I just march right in and try to change things."

Kresse voiced support for harsher penalties for convicted felons, particularly sex offenders, who she said shouldn't be allowed to move into any neighborhood they choose.

"Baby rapers get to watch TV and get smokes when they're in prison to serve time," Kresse said. "Why do they get those rights?"

The Republicans

Roger Bush

Calling himself a "pragmatic conservative," Bush said he has spent his four years in the House quietly trying to build consensus on issues of importance to consumers throughout the state.

During his first two years in the Legislature, Bush wrote a bill that banned junk e-mail - the first of its kind in the world, he said.

More recently, he sponsored a successful measure that ensures only the last five digits of credit card numbers show up on sales receipts. Bush also worked to secure funding for road improvement projects on Highway 161 in Graham, Highway 162 in Orting and Highway 507 in Roy and McKenna.

Such successes, Bush said, got him hooked on politics. He said he learns something new every day and loves the challenges he faces as a lawmaker.

"I try each day to find a way to help something good happen to someone in Washington state," Bush said. "Conversely, I also want to help stop something bad from happening."

He supports funding higher education, especially at community colleges and vocational schools. Bush said he'll continue to push for continued expansion of the University of Washington Tacoma campus.

"Not everyone can go to the University of Washington in Seattle," he said.

Rosemary Greenlaw

Of Bush's opponents, Greenlaw is the only one who previously has held public office. She served on the Bethel School Board in the early 1980s and made one unsuccessful bid for the Pierce County Council during the same time.

In both cases, Greenlaw said she can't remember what dates she held office or exactly what provoked her to campaign for the seats. But she knows her political aspirations had to do with a personal crusade, likely focusing on a single issue.

Greenlaw is a self-described gadfly. In this race, the Frederickson Republican is campaigning to clean up garbage and streamline recycling programs across the state.

She's hoping to implement a statewide system, modeled after one in Kansas, in which any person can put up to 15 gallons of trash on the side of the road to be collected once a week for a monthly fee of $5.

How she will accomplish this task at the state level is unclear, as counties and cities regulate their own solid waste collections.

To reinforce her environmental message, Greenlaw said she hasn't posted any campaign signs. "All they do is create litter," she said.

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* Staff writer Mary Butler covers the 2nd Legislative District. Reach her at 253-274-7338 or mary.butler@mail.tribnet.com.

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SIDEBAR: 2nd legislative district house, position 1

Democrats

Abe Adams, Spanaway

Born: Sept. 14, 1945, Tuskegee, Ala.

Occupation: Steelworker.

Family: Wife Shirley and two adult children

Education: Central Texas College, 1975-77; Bates Technical College, certificated in automotive mechanics, 1987

Guilty pleasure: Peanuts.

My pet: None.

Campaign money/major backers: About $1,200. No major backers.

I'm running because: "Being a locked-out steelworker from Kaiser Aluminum, I've seen the ineffectiveness of our Legislature over the past two years. If elected, I will represent a special interest group. That group will be you, the voter."

Ron Bauer, Roy

Born: Oct. 18, 1952, Tacoma.

Occupation: Special education teacher.

Family: Wife Barbara, five adult children and six grandchildren.

Education: Washington State University, B.A. in criminal science, 1978; Saint Martin's College, teaching certificate, 1992.

Guilty pleasure: Fishing and chocolate.

My pet: A brown lop-eared rabbit, Mr. Moochie.

Campaign money, major backers: About $4,000. Major backers include International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 483, $300; International Union of Operating Engineers Local 612, $500.

I'm running because: "I am ready to meet the challenges and be the voice and representative of the people. It's time to get back to basics and common sense. We need to support the elderly and educate our children."

Tamara McFadden Kresse, Spanaway

Born: Aug. 9, 1963, Tacoma.

Occupation: Excavating contractor.

Family: Husband Tom and daughter, Heavenly Snow, 9.

Education: Fort Steilacoom College (now Pierce College), associate's degree in business, 1983.

Guilty pleasure: Grocery shopping.

My pet: 10-week-old Lhasa apso, Sis, and a 40-pound domestic cat, Baby Kitty.

Campaign money/major backers: $2,245 from friends and family.

I'm running because: "I believe the state has forgotten what it's like to be the little guy. As a wife, mother and owner of a small excavating business, I've felt, like you, the impacts of government actions on small businesses and property owners."

Republicans

Roger Bush, Frederickson

Born: Sept. 25, 1949, Seattle.

Occupation: Fifth-grade teacher.

Family: Wife Cheryl and one adult daughter.

Education: Seattle Pacific University, B.A with teaching credentials, 1971; Western Evangelical Seminary at George Fox University, master's degree in divinity,1977.

Guilty pleasure: Tapioca pudding.

My pet: My daughter's box turtle, Sonny.

Campaign money/major backers: $47,000,with 26 contributions of $575 or more. They include: Trucking Action Committee, $1,175; Boeing Co., $900; Safeco, $600; Sears Roebuck Co., $600; Association of Realtors, $600; Washington State Council of Firefighters, $600.

I'm running because: "For the last four years, I have worked hard for better schools, stronger public safety for our neighborhoods and limited state government growth to protect our family incomes. I'm excited to keep the momentum going."

Rosemary Greenlaw, Frederickson

Born: Aug. 12, 1929, Seattle.

Occupation: Retired real estate broker.

Family: Husband Cyrus and four adult children.

Education: Stadium High School, 1947. College of Puget Sound (now University of Puget Sound) for two years.

Guilty pleasure: None.

My pet: A terrier mix, Good Boy.

Campaign money/major backers: Self-funded, $351.

I'm running because: "I want to implement the state's most effective recycling plan in order to rid piles of rubbish and hoards of rats from the state's counties."