Joseph Zarelli
Joseph Zarelli was a Republican member of the Washington State Senate. He represented District 18 from 1996 to May 30, 2012. Zarelli resigned early, stating it was time to "start focusing on where I'm going next and to begin that journey."[1]
Zarelli held the leadership positions of Republican Leader of the Washington State Senate in 2005, Senate Majority Leader in 2003, Majority Caucus Vice Chair in 2003 and Republican Caucus Vice Chair in 2001-02.[2]
Zarelli earned his AAS from Clark College.
Zarelli is the president of JP Zarelli, Incorporated. He served in the United States Navy from 1982 to 1989.He is the president of JP Zarelli, Incorporated.[3]
In 2002, Zarelli collected unemployment while being paid as a state legislator.[4]
Committee assignments
2011-2012
In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Zarelli served on the following committees:
- Economic Development, Trade & Innovation Committee, Washington State Senate
- Rules Committee, Washington State Senate
- Ways and Means Committee, Washington State Senate, Ranking Minority Member
Issues
Presidential preference
2012
Joseph Zarelli endorsed Mitt Romney in the 2012 presidential election.[5]
Elections
2012
Joseph Zarelli did not run for re-election in 2012.[6]
2008
On November 4, 2008, Zarelli was re-elected for the Eighteenth District of the Washington State Senate receiving 39,311 votes.
Zarelli raised $224,891 for his campaign.[7]
| Washington State Senate, District 18 (2008) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | |||
 Joseph Zarelli (R)
|
39,311 | |||
| Jon Haugen (D) | 32,127 | |||
Campaign finance summary
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Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Zarelli and his wife have four daughters and two grandchildren.
Scorecards
Freedom Foundation
The Freedom Foundation releases its Big Spender List annually. The Institute ranks all Washington legislators based on their total proposed tax and fee increases. To find each legislator’s total, the Institute adds up the 10-year tax increases or decreases, as estimated by Washington’s Office of Financial Management, of all bills sponsored or co-sponsored by that legislator.[8]
2012
Zarelli proposed a 10-year increase in state taxes and fees of $17 million, tied for the 30th highest amount of proposed new taxes and fees of the 46 Washington state senators on the Freedom Foundation’s 2012 Big Spender List.[9]
- See also: Washington Freedom Foundation Legislative Scorecard (2012)
The Freedom Foundation also issued its 2012 Informed Voter Guide for Washington State voters, including a legislative score card documenting how Washington State legislators voted upon bills the Foundation deemed important legislation. The legislation analyzed covered budget, taxation, and pension issues.[10] A 
sign indicates a bill more in line with the Foundation's stated goals, and a 
sign indicates a bill out of step with the Foundation's values. Here's how Zarelli voted on the specific pieces of legislation:
| 2012 Senate Scorecard - Joseph Zarelli | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bill #6636 (Balanced budget requirement)
|
Bill #5967 (Senate Republicans budget)
|
Bill #6582 (Local transportation tax increases)
|
Bill #6378 (Pension reforms)
| ||||||||
| Y | Y | N | Y | ||||||||
Recent news
This section displays the most recent stories in a Google News search for the term "Joseph + Zarelli + Washington + Senate"
- All stories may not be relevant to this legislator due to the nature of the search engine.
External links
- Joseph Zarelli on the Washington State Senate website (dead link)
- Zarelli's state-sponsored website
- Legislative profile of Zarelli on Project Vote Smart
- Biographical profile of Zarelli on Project Vote Smart
- Campaign Contributions: 2008, 2006, 2004, 2000, 1996, 1994
- 18th District map
- Washington Votes profile on Zarelli
- Colleagues express concerns about his unnervingly brutal approach to the state budget.
Footnotes
- ↑ Seattle Times, "Joe Zarelli leaving the Legislature on Thursday," May 29, 2012
- ↑ Zarelli bio from Washington SRC website
- ↑ Project Vote Smart - Sen. Zarelli
- ↑ Seattle Times, "Sen. Zarelli collected unemployment while earning salary," September 25, 2002
- ↑ Mitt Romney for President, "Mitt Romney Announces Support of Washington State Elected Officials and Leaders," February 13, 2012
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "2012 Primary Candidates," accessed July 16, 2012
- ↑ Follow the Money's report on Zarelli's 2008 campaign contributions
- ↑ Freedom Foundation's 2012 Big Spender List
- ↑ Freedom Foundation's 2012 list of Washington state senators by proposed new taxes and fees
- ↑ My Freedom Foundation, "Home," accessed June 18, 2014
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by ' |
Washington Senate District 18 1996-May 30, 2012 |
Succeeded by Ann Rivers |
