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John Roskelley
John Roskelley (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Washington State Senate to represent District 4. He lost in the general election on November 3, 2020.
Roskelley completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
John Roskelley was born in Spokane, Washington. He earned a bachelor's degree from Washington State University in 1971. His professional experience includes serving on the Eastern Washington Growth Management Hearings Board for six years, being the author of three adventure books and one guide book, editing one self-published book, and working as a small business owner. Roskelley is affiliated with the Center for Environmental Law & Policy (CELP), the American Alpine Club, the Alpine Club (Great Britain), Seattle Mountaineers, Mazamas, and Spokane Mountaineers.[1]
Elections
2020
See also: Washington State Senate elections, 2020
General election
General election for Washington State Senate District 4
Incumbent Mike Padden defeated John Roskelley in the general election for Washington State Senate District 4 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Mike Padden (R) | 62.5 | 56,161 |
 | John Roskelley (D)  | 37.3 | 33,506 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.2 | 149 | ||
| Total votes: 89,816 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Washington State Senate District 4
Incumbent Mike Padden and John Roskelley defeated Ann Marie Danimus in the primary for Washington State Senate District 4 on August 4, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Mike Padden (R) | 60.8 | 31,700 |
| ✔ | | John Roskelley (D) | 33.1 | 17,232 |
 | Ann Marie Danimus (Independent) | 6.1 | 3,158 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 44 | ||
| Total votes: 52,134 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign themes
2020
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
John Roskelley completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Roskelley's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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- Balance the Budget: A fiscally responsible balanced budget should be the first priority of every Washington State legislator. The health and welfare of the state's citizens, businesses, and environment depend on it. As a county commissioner, I helped reduce expenditures, rebuild the county budget without tax increases, and helped create Spokane County's largest reserve. The state is in a budget crisis from the pandemic. Experience, hard work and common sense is needed to pull the state out of this problem, not partisen politics. I can help turn this rambling train around.
- Protect Seniors and Retirees: Seniors and retirees have built this community with their property and sales taxes. I know what it's like to live on a fixed income and continually fight legislator's who promote and pass bills to allow the state and other special taxing districts to increase these taxes. Senior issues are important to me and are my priority. We need home stability; we need low-cost health care and insurance; we need well-paid, trained care-givers; and those seniors that are at or below the poverty level need some relief from state, local and special district property tax increases.
- A Healthy Enviroment: What we do today to protect our environment will reap unlimited mental and physical health benefits for our children and grandchildren tomorrow. We have a responsibility to pass this land and water on to the next generation better than we found it. After all, we're just caretakers living on the land for a few generations before the next caretakers move in. As legislators, we are the caretakers and generational conscience that need to keep our promise to our children.
As for seniors, I feel an obligation to our older generation to ensure they are taken care of as they enter and proceed through their later years. So many retirees are on a fixed income; so many are reliant on government assistance; and so many of them have pre-existing health conditions that can be expensive to cover without a secondary insurance. We have to ensure as they move from their homes to retirement communities, assisted living, and end care facilities that they receive the care they need, regardless of income. All of these elders have paid into our system their entire lives through property and sales taxes and deserve to end their lives well. To me, this means nobody falls through the cracks of the system and it's up to law makers to make this happen.
As for politicians, I like the example Barrack Obama set for us all. He was intelligent, thoughtful, caring, and made some great decisions to help the citizens of the U.S., such as the ACA and putting away many important monuments and wilderness areas for future generations.
Research the issue. This is not rocket science. There's 49 other states with issue just like ours. If I can't find the information I need from my own research, google, and the caucus issue paper, then I can always see what other states have done under similar circumstances and why.
Empathy. I've always had a spot in my heart reserved for those less fortunate and all living things. I give weight to issues that will make life better for the elderly, disabled, children with physical and mental challenges, and all threatened species. The legislature is the caretaker of those which need our help.
Independence. There are 433 PAC's registered in the state, with not quite as many lobbyists. Many send candidates questionnaires requiring the candidate to support, oppose, commit or pledge to their issues. I refuse to answer these loaded questions (except under rare philosophical circumstances) before researching all the facts, including the science and history behind the issue, and examining the written bill and the fiscal note. I may agree with the intent of the question, but I think it's irresponsible for an elected official to abdicate their sworn duty to constituents to make a decision prior to having all the facts.
Remember who put you there. If I'm elected, it is the voters of the 4th District who believed in my message. I need to make sure I follow-through on that message.
With that said, I have to keep in mind almost every vote has an effect not only in my district, but on all the citizens of Washington. Ensure the end result will be best for the majority of Washingtonians, not just a few..
Whether in the majority or minority, put partisanship aside at times and work together as much as possible to create the best solutions to the problem.
Work toward less government from the top and more government from the people.
Exceptionally detailed personal history account and well written.
Balancing the budget. The on-going pandemic has created a 15-20% state budget deficit. The state reserve is small, so the budget will have to be balanced with a combination of cuts to operating expenses and an increase in revenue. Cuts to programs and services are not easy, but necessary. The largest budget items are salaries and benefits, so it's important for the governor to institute a hiring freeze immediately and rely primarily on employees retiring or changing jobs to reduce FTE's. The legislature can place a freeze on specific budget items, like studies and committees, that were approved with funding in earlier bienniums. Additionally, the Office of Financial Management has to take an investigative role in finding unspent funds and budget items in every department and fund, no matter how small, that can be eliminated or reduced. Revenue does not necessarily mean taxes. The state has just under 700 tax exempt businesses. Start by reducing or eliminating these. Then increase the sin taxes on liquor, tobacco, marijuana, gambling, and then luxury items, like expensive cars, boats, and RV's. At this point, the legislature has to start looking at increasing taxes on petroleum, coal and any product that has a detrimental effect on the environment.
Environment & Energy
Appropriations
State Government & and Tribal Relations
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
See also
2020 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on July 5, 2020
