Incumbent Sen. Manka Dhingra (D-Kirkland) will run against Dale Fonk, a Republican from Woodinville, on Nov. 6 to retain her seat in the 45th Legislative District. The 45th district encompasses part of King County, including Kirkland, Redmond, Sammamish and Woodinville.
Editor’s note: After multiple attempts, the Reporter was unable to reach the other candidate in this race, Dale Fonk.
1. Please provide a brief biography.
Manka Dhingra: Manka Dhingra is the current Washington state senator representing the 45th Legislative District. She is vice chair of the Senate Law and Justice committee as well as of the Human Service and Corrections committee. She is also a senior deputy prosecuting attorney with the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, award-winning PTSA mom, anti-domestic violence advocate, and community leader. She is a co-founder of Chaya, a South Asian organization that provides resources and support for survivors of domestic violence and trafficking and has been on the National Alliance on Mental Illness Eastside Board for over eight years.
2. Do you believe that taxes are calculated fairly to fund education in our state? If not, what would you change?
Dhingra: The current system for funding education through property taxes is not sustainable. Our schools are still underfunded and dependent on local levies to provide basic programs like special education. We need to explore options that don’t further the current regressive nature of our tax system. We need to provide more accountability for the tax breaks that we do offer. I am proud of the recent progress we have made investing and improving education, but too many schools still suffer from underfunding, crowded classes, and insufficient and neglected special education programs. Every child should be able to reach their full potential, and their future shouldn’t be determined by their zip code or parents’ income. I intend to make Washington the very best in public education.
3. Home prices and property taxes have been on the rise. How would you promote housing diversity and affordability?
Dhingra: Housing affordability is one of the greatest challenge facing our state. I have successfully worked on this issue this year. My bill to reduce property taxes passed and we all should see a reduction in property taxes in 2019. It is a travesty that middle class families can no longer afford to stay in our communities. We need neighborhoods where teachers and firefighters can live alongside tech workers and retirees. This session we also funded the Housing Trust account to help families keep their homes. I am working on condo liability reform for next session so that first-time homeowners and empty nesters have an additional affordable option. We all must continue to look for opportunities to lower property taxes and develop new policies that promote housing affordability.
4. Mass shootings, suicides and school security are big concerns in our communities. When it comes to guns, how do you balance safety with constitutional rights?
Dhingra: As a prosecutor and crisis intervention trainer for law enforcement, I’m all too familiar with tragedies arising from gun violence. That experience, coupled with concern for my own teenagers and community, fuel my advocacy for common sense gun legislation. This year, I sponsored and passed a law to keep guns out of the hands of those individuals convicted of domestic violence harassment. In Olympia, I will continue advocating for policies that remove guns from those individuals who have a history of violence and are a threat to themselves and others.
