PORT ANGELES — The 24th Legislative District scored 42 out of a possible 100 for voters’ propensity to support business-minded lawmakers, a state lobbyist told Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce members Monday.
“If you get below 40, you as business leaders will be in the minority of voters in the 24th [District] without some really good outreach and education within the business community on business issues,” said Erin McCallum, president of Enterprise Washington, a nonpartisan business interest group based in Issaquah.
“It’s up to you to help promote a prosperity brand for your region. It is about jobs, and jobs matter.”
McCallum’s address at the Port Angeles CrabHouse Restaurant was called: “Understanding Politics from a Business Perspective.”
McCallum said the business community is most effective if you have lawmakers who are willing to work across the aisle.
Enterprise Washington does research and “recruits, trains and elects business-minded lawmakers,” McCallum said.
The group has helped elect 11 business-minded state Legislators, she said. None of them is from the 24th District, which includes the North Olympic Peninsula and the northern half of Grays Harbor County.
State Sen. Jim Hargrove, D-Hoquiam, scored 43 out of 100 for business-minded policy-making in the latest Enterprise Washington research. State Rep. Kevin Van De Wege, D-Sequim, scored 37, McCallum said.
Freshman state Rep. Steve Tharinger, D-Sequim, has yet to be scored by Enterprise Washington.
McCallum described three sectors — private, nonprofit and public — that “really do some amazing things.”
“We need all of them to work well and work well together,” McCallum told a crowd of about 75 at the weekly chamber luncheon.
“But there’s only one of those sectors that really generates the revenue for the other two, and it’s the private sector.
“The private sector are the job creators, and without a healthy private sector, we don’t really have much of anything.”
McCallum said public office-holders have difficult jobs and run tough campaigns.
“It’s hard,” she said. “It’s really, really hard.
“And I would encourage you to really celebrate and thank people who decide to run for public office.”
McCallum said Enterprise Washington works closely with pro-business groups from around the state.
She was scheduled to speak at the Port Angeles Business Association meeting today at 7:30 a.m. at Joshua’s Restaurant, 113 DelGuzzi Drive, Port Angeles.
For more information on Enterprise Washington, visit www.enterprisewashington.org.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
