I’m going to make an educated guess, because you’re reading the letters to the editor in your local newspaper, that you care about your community and its quality of life. You want to learn more about the candidates who represent you in the Washington state Legislature. Good for you. And good for all of us that you seek to be an informed voter.

Roger Goodman is running for his sixth term as your state representative in the 45th Legislative District. You probably are aware that Goodman has earned national acclaim for his laws to protect us from drunk drivers. You also may know that his efforts to reduce domestic violence are widely recognized… and that he has worked hard to protect vulnerable adults and to help sexual assault victims.

But are you aware that he was just named co-chair of a new legislative task force on police use of deadly force? He’s also concerned about the high incarceration rates of juveniles for minor offenses, recommending restorative justice instead of jail time. These are issues on the minds of all Americans, and his expertise on these and other public safety issues is highly valued, both in our state and across the country.

Goodman recognizes that homelessness is a major issue that must be addressed by state government, that public schools must be fully funded,that higher education must be affordable and that people who have mental illness must be able to get appropriate treatment. He is not a one-issue legislator. He deeply cares, and he finds ways to improve our lives.

On Goodman’s campaign website at RogerGoodman.org you will find a letter he has written to you as neighbors in the 45th Legislative District. Check it out. Learn more about your state representative and inform your vote. Then send him back to Olympia to continue working for you.

Doris (Jody) Wilson

Kirkland