2004 Candidate Questionnaire

 

SECTION I               

 

BASIC CANDIDATE INFORMATION

 

1.      Name as it will appear on the ballot

 

First Name

Middle Initial or Nick Name

Last Name

Joshua

Daniel

Freed

 

2.   Office sought (include office, jurisdiction, position/district number):

 

State Representative District #1 Position 2

 

3.   Are you the incumbent?                  Yes              No

 

 

4.   How long have you resided in this district/city?

 

30 Years

 

5.   How long have you resided in King County?

 

30 Years

 

6.   Is the office sought partisan or nonpartisan?         Partisan      Nonpartisan         

                                                                                                                       

7.   If partisan, please indicate party:  Republican

 

CAMPAIGN CONTACTS

 

 

Campaign Name:

 

Americans for Joshua Freed

 

Address:

 

14704 100th Ave NE

 

City/State/Zip:

 

Bothell, Washington 98011

 

Campaign Phone:

 

425.483.2499

 

 

Campaign Fax:

 

425.481.9751

 

 

Campaign E-mail:

 

joshua@joshuafreed.com

 

 

Campaign Website:

 

www.joshuafreed.com

 

 

POLITICAL BACKGROUND

 

1.   Beginning with the most recent position, please list public offices which you have held.  Include positions on appointive Boards or Commissions.

 

Public Office

Elective or Appointive?

Dates Held

Leadership Role (if any)

King County Mental Health Advisory Board

 

Appointive

 

2003-Present

 

Board Member

 

522 Citizen's Advisory Board, City of Bothell

 

Appointive

 

2003

 

Board Member

 

Precinct Committee Officer, Bothell-0260

 

Elective

 

1996-1998

 

PCO, Area Chair and Vice Chair

 

 

2.   If you ran for public office but were not elected, please list those races below:

 

Office Title

Year of Run

State Representative District #1 Position #1

 

2002

 

     

 

     

 

     

 

     

 


SECTION III

 

In this section, we are seeking responses that reflect the four ratings criteria: involvement, effectiveness, character, and knowledge.  These are defined as follows:

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.      In a page or less, why are you running for this office?  (Note: the interview committee will be given a copy of this statement before your interview; at the beginning of your interview you will have the opportunity to expand on this statement in any way you wish.)

 

I am running for office because I want to improve the quality of life for citizen's in the 1st District and Washington State.  I bring the experience necessary to represent my district's voters and bring a new vision to Olympia.

 

My experience from serving as Vice-Chairmen for the International Deaf Education Association has taught me the importance of perseverence and difficult decsion making.  I will work to make smart schools by supporting teachers in their efforts to help our children excel in reading, writing, and arithmetic.  Washington State deserves a student focused education system that looks out for the needs of our children first.

 

I bring experience in transportation planning having served on the 522 Citizen's Advisory Board for the City of Bothell.  Our board came to a creative solution to integreat transit and multimodal lanes that was accepted by our community.  Our transportation system is currently the weak backbone to our economy and needs immediate attention.  Steps need to be taken to find waste in our currenty system and focus our resourses on congestion relief.  The State must reduce the time and cost of projects by streamlining the permitting process.

 

I am a small business owner and see the importance of keeping businesses in Washington.  We currently fall short in all six areas of competitiveness set forward by the governor's competitiveness council.  Too many jobs are being lost and as a result families are hurting.  I am a Marriage and Family counselor.  Many of the clients I worked with at Lake Washington Technical College were unemployed for the first time in their adult lives.  We are facing the fourth highest unemployement rate in the nation and familes are struggling to make ends meet.  We must keep businesses in our state and attract businesses to Washington.  We need to extend the same benefits that Boeing recieved for the 7E7 plant to small businesses who provide for 60% of the jobs in our workforce.  Steps can be taken to lower the cost of doing business by cleaning up our weighty regulations and revamping our Labor and Industries beuracracy.  L & I need to be made more useful and supportive of our hard working employees who are injured on the job.

 


 

2.      Describe your most important personal characteristics or traits as they relate to the office you seek.

 

A good legislator knows how to listen, be humble, and lead.  Olympia is full of ego which constantly stands in the way of progress.  I adher to the ideals of representative governement that exists to hold the constituants concerns as paramount.  In the midst of all the voices in Olympia, I will remain resolute and listen to the voice of my constituents.

 

I will be a legislator who listens to his constituents.  I am a Marriage and Family counselor and have been trained to effectively listen to people's concerns and then effectively address those concerns.  I listen best when I speak the least beacause my focus goes off my agenda and turns to others concerns.  Listening is about discovering problems and finding solutions.  Often solutions are found from gleening off someone else's wisdom.

 

Humbleness is a key to leadership.  True leaders recognize it is not about them, it is about the "other".  Humblness allows for representation outside of ourselves.  I will be a servant leader because I believe in representing my district as a whole.  There will be issues in which consituents will differ but the goal for legislation I vote on will be to benefit the majority.

 

Leadership is an important characteristic of the position I seek.  Leadership means standing tall and leading the way when opposition is pitted against you.  Leadership is finding common ground and then leading the cause forward to resolution.

 

I will be a transparent and consistent representative who leads by listening and being a humble servant leader.

 

3.      Please describe in sufficient detail, one to three accomplishments or contributions of which you are most proud.  These examples should illustrate effective skills and capabilities you think apply to the office you are seeking.  These accomplishments may have occurred at any time in your personal, professional, or public life. 

 

I have had many life enriching experiences while I have lived in Bothell, Pakistan and Egypt.  I have been able to travel the world and have seen amazing sights.  I have served in impoverished places and seen the needs of people who are not able to help themselves. 

 

I would say my three most significant accomplishments are having children, serving on human service organization boards, and my last campaign.  I think what is significant about my accomplishments is that I have done them in community and not alone.  A leader leads best when he surrounds himself with trusted friends and followers.  A leader is only as strong as those he brings around him.

 

My wife is the most amazing person I know.  She and I have been married for seven years and she is my strongest supporter.  We have three beautiful children named Caleb (6), Emilie (3), and Janie (11 months).  Nothing has been more rewarding and challenging in my life than being a father.  I have enjoyed the relationships I have with my children every step of the way.  I have poured as much wisdom and instruction into them and have played with them on their level and as a result they are engaging, confident, and loving children.  Being a father has taught me how to be patient, a necessary skill in any environment.  

 

I serve on a several highly effecitive boards.  I serve on the King County Mental Health Advisory Board (KCMHAB), the Protect-A-Child-Today (PACT) and the International Deaf Education Assocaiton (IDEA) boards.  The Mental Health Advisory board advocates legislatively for the mentally ill in our community.  I have learned a lot of information that will be useful in the legislature and I will use my experience to further the welfare for the mentally ill and their families.  PACT teaches children skills to protect themselves from sexual predators.  PACT also teaches parents how to recongnize signs of abuse in their children and how to make wise decsions to create the safest environment for their children.  I am proud of the board I serve with and the work we have done to protect children.  IDEA opporates six elementary school programs for deaf students in the Philippines.  We are in the process of starting a new highschool and building construction is near completion.  I most recently was elected by my fellow board members to the postion of Vice-Chairman.

 

Two years ago I ran for State Representative and came within 2.8% of victory.  My opponent had overcome his prior opponent by over 20%.  Even though I lost my race it was exteremely rewarding because of the accomplishments along the way and the friendships that I formed.  I have gained a reputation as a hard worker, and the truth is my strength comes from the group of people who have dedicated themselves to work on my campaign.  My campaign staff and I were able to organize over one hundred and fifty volunteers and doorbell over 36,500 homes.  One of the biggests characteristics that I learned from my campaign is perseverance.  I do not believe in giving up.  I will fight with tenacity for the needs of my district when I serve in Olympia.

 

All of my accomplishments and successess I must attribute to the help of good friends and strong supporters.  Without a good network it would be diffucult to succeed in this world of competion.


 

4.      Please list or describe your current and past activities in the community in which you have acquired skills that relate to the office you seek.  Include your role in the activity and the year(s) in which you were involved.  Involvement consists of many areas such as family, neighborhood, community, employment, or public life.

 

FAMILY

 

Husband - Married to my wife Lindie for almost eight years.

 

Father - I am a proud father of Caleb (6), Emilie (3) and Janie (11 months)

 

BUSINESS

 

Encourage Counseling - Owner Private Practice Marriage, Family and Adolescent Counseling

     2001-Present

 

Encourage International - President - Non-profit concert promotion business

     1999-2001

 

Celebrations! - The Party Supply Company - President - Online Children's Party Supplies

     1995-1999

 

COMMUNITY INVOLEMENT

 

International Deaf Education Association - Current Board Member and Vice Chair

 

Protect-A-Child-Today - Current Board Member

 

King County Mental Health Advisory Board - Current Board Member

 

East King County Chambers of Commerce Legislative Coalition - Current Board Member

 

Government Voice for Northshore Chamber - Current Board Member

 

Chamber of Commerce - Member

 

Kiwanis - Member

 

522 Citizens Advisory Board for the City of Bothell - Former Board Member

 

YMCA - Past Fundraiser for Youth Activities

 

Bellevue Community Services - Counselor

 

Lake Washington Technical College - Former Counselor

 

Youth Group Leader - Mentor and group leader - 7 Years to date

 

Rotary - Member

 

Northshore Chamber of Commerce - Member

 

POLITICAL

 

Past Candidate for State Representative - 2002 (Lost by 2.8% against incumbent)

 

GOTV Chair for King County GOP

 

Campaign Manager - Citizen's to Re-Elect Mike Sherstad for State Rep. 1996

 

Precinct Committee Officer - Bothell 0260

 

Area Chairman - 1st District GOP King County

 

Vice Chairman - 1st District GOP King County

 

 

  1. Please describe the duties of the office you seek.  Which are the most important duties and why?

 

Community involvement is a very important aspect of the office I seek.  I have been intensely involved in my community and will bring experience to Olympia from lessons I have learned.  It is important to listen to the voices of the people of the 1st District and make myself available to hear their concerns and ideas.

 

I will be introducing and voting on legislation to improve the quality of life for citizens of Washington State.  I will vote on and introduce bills that deal with infrastructure, taxation, family services, and a number of other areas of legislation.  It is a high calling in which a humble spirit and a servants heart will be necessary.  As a State Representative I will represent the needs of my district to Olympia and seek funding for programs and projects that will positively influence the quality of life of the citizens of the 1st District.  I will fight to ensure a well-balanced and prudent approach is enacted.

 

I will need to guard the rights of the less fortunate who cannot defend themselves and serve my neighbors with the utmost respect making myself accountable to my constituents.

 

A State Representative needs to be creative.  I hope to serve on the Trade and Economic Development, Finance and Banking, Youth and Family Services, and Education committees.  We need to get our state's economy moving again and my creative entrepreneur mindset will bring a fresh perspective to Olympia.


EDUCATION BACKGROUND SUMMARY

FOR PUBLICATION IN CANDIDATE EVALUATION REPORT

 

The Municipal League’s Candidate Evaluation Report is distributed to voters in print and/or on our website.  It includes a summary of the candidate’s education.  Please summarize your education in 120 characters (letters, punctuation, and space all combined).  The League will delete material that exceeds the space limit by beginning with the last entry.  Suggested order is (degree) (subject) (school) (year, if desired). 

 

Note: If this question is left blank the League will not include education information in your candidate profile.

 

Masters in Counseling; Marriage Counseling, Mars Hill Graduate School, 2001

 

Bachelors in Arts; Business Management, Seattle Pacific University, 1995

 

Graduate; Inglemoor High School, 1992     

 

CIVIC INVOLVEMENT SUMMARY

FOR PUBLICATION IN CANDIDATE EVALUATION REPORT

 

The Municipal League’s Candidate Evaluation Report also includes a summary of each candidate’s civic involvement.  Please summarize your civic involvement in the space below.  We will make every attempt to include the information in the Candidate Evaluation Report as submitted.  Due to space restrictions in the Report, your response is limited to 500 characters (letters, punctuation, and spaces all combined).  It is important that you list your involvement beginning with the most important and ending with the least important.  If you exceed the length of response permitted, or if the League should find it necessary to shorten responses for publication purposes, deletions will be made beginning with the last item listed. 

 

Note: This information will appear verbatim on the League’s Candidate Evaluation Report.  If this question is left blank, the Municipal League will not include information on your civic involvement in the Report.

 

  Check here if you would like the Municipal League to copy the first 500 characters from Question 4 to paste into this section.

 

     

 

Finished!

If at all possible, send your response to the Municipal League electronically as an attachment, or insert it into an e-mail message (rebecca@munileague.org).  Mail and fax numbers are listed below.  If the League has not contacted you to schedule an interview, please call the League office at your earliest convenience.

 

Don’t forget to send the following to the Municipal League:  a resume, a photo, campaign literature, and, if you are an incumbent, constituent newsletters and other materials.  Please use the check-off list on the cover sheet of this packet to indicate which items you have sent.

 

 

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION AND GOOD LUCK IN YOUR CAMPAIGN!

 

THE MUNICIPAL LEAGUE OF KING COUNTY

 

Candidate Evaluation Coordinator:  Rebecca Cooper

 

810 Third Avenue, Suite 224                  Phone: 206-622-8333                Email: rebecca@munileague.org

Seattle, WA 98104-1614                        Fax: 425-671-0506                        Website: www.munileague.org