As November approaches, Democratic incumbent Rep. Larry Springer and his Republican opponent Mark Isaacs are battling it out for state representative position No. 2 of the 45th District. They disagree on big issues such as the state deficit as well as local issues like transportation.

In fact, the two strongly disagree on what are the necessary qualifications for the job itself.

Springer said the best-qualified candidate would have a firm grasp of the issues that are facing the state of Washington. The most important, he said, is the large budget deficit that the Legislature will face this coming session.

“I’m better equipped to deal with this,” Springer said. “It’s really a matter of experience.”

Springer said his opponent, Mark Isaacs, lacks the experience necessary to deal with the budget problems. He said those in the state Legislature must have specific plans for attacking the big budget items.

“He can offer no concrete solutions to the budget problems that are facing Washington state,” Springer said.

Isaacs said his merit is not in his experience, but in his values. He aligns himself with those same values held by the country’s founder and which are embedded in the Constitution.

“I am thoroughly rooted in the Judaic-Christian principles that founded this country,” Isaacs said.

Isaacs said he does not support Springer’s tendency to spend funds that the state does not have. Indeed, one of Isaacs’ greatest priorities for the legislative session is to cut government spending.

Also, Isaacs said he strongly disagrees with Springer and other representatives’ move to repeal I-960, an initiative that voters approved in 2007 to make tax increases more difficult for lawmakers. This move, he said, was fundamentally against the will of the people.

“I will not do what he did, or what he does,” Isaacs said.

Both candidates said that one of their greatest priorities was solving the state budget shortfall.

In order to deal with this pressing issue, Isaacs said the first thing to be done is to accept that everyone has a common objective: reducing the state deficit. Once everyone recognizes that they are all facing the same issue, he said, everyone should be able to accept that sacrifices must be made in every sector.

“Pain has to be spread across the board,” Isaacs said.

Moreover, Isaacs said he is a strong supporter of privatization. Many facets of state government could be handled more efficiently by the private sector, he said.

“We must reenergize the private sector,” said Isaacs, “meaning reduce taxes and relax regulations.”

Springer said that he supports concrete proposals for dealing with the deficit. He said he would forego salary increases for state employees, while increasing their medical benefits. In addition to that, he said that he strongly supported the state removing itself from the liquor and printing businesses.

With the inclusion of these proposals, Springer said the state Legislature would come close to balancing the state budget without cutting funding in important areas. Most of all, this means schools.

“My No. 1 priority is to get through this budget crisis without cutting money from K-12 education,” Springer said.

While the congressman said he is committed to preserving funding for K-12, he also said that it was now important to retrieve funding for higher education.

When it comes to education, Isaacs said his main priority was to considerably reduce the high failing rate in the state’s public schools. In order to do this, he said that the state must give more authority to teachers and principals; he said that currently outside influences have too much control over the schools.

“We need to let [teachers and principals] do what they do best, and that is educate children.”

Both candidates underlined different priorities concerning the transportation issues facing the district. While Springer said he saw the completion of the I-520 bridge as the most important project to tackle, Issacs said his first priority would be to ease congestion in the area.

The candidates also held contrasting views on certain initiatives arriving on the November ballot. Isaacs said he would give his support for Initiative 1100, which would eliminate all state liquor sales.

Although Springer said he opposed Initiative 1100, he said he supported a similar initiative, I-1105, which would take the state out of the liquor business but would keep a small amount of regulation.

Both said they definitively opposed Initiative 1098, which would raise taxes for those with higher income levels.

For more details on each candidate, voters may visit their Web sites: www.larryspringer.org for Springer, and www.votemarkisaacs.com for Isaacs.

Stephannie Stokes is a student in the University of Washington Department of Communication News Laboratory.