Why we should be thankful for Sen. Andy Hill:

As the author of the budget for the state senate, Andy has added $1 billion to the budget for K-12 education. This is the budget that 89 percent of our legislators adopted. Yes, 89 percent including the Democrat legislators. Every teacher and school age child in the state should be thankful.

He blocked the requested (and consistently granted in the past) tuition increases for secondary education. Every college student (and their parents) in the state should be thankful.

He balanced the budget without gimmicks or tax increases. Every taxpayer in the state should be thankful.

He has set our state budget on a course to have a very well-funded rainy day fund within a couple of years instead of being in constant danger of being broke. We, all the people of Washington state, should be thankful that we have Andy Hill in the state senate.

As chairman for the 45th Legislative District Republicans, I am biased. However, there is no bias needed to recognize the simple reality of what Andy has done for the people of this state. No spin is needed when the facts speak for themselves.

The Democrat Party needs to have someone on the ballot and this is their opponent to Andy. He is completely untested as a representative of the public. But why would anyone give up a proven leader who has so ably and successfully represented us? Voters need to take a look at the facts and they will quickly recognize that we all win with Andy Hill representing us.

Dale Fonk, Woodinville