Working to Make Washington Affordable for Working Families

Reducing Costs for Working People

Washingtonians are facing soaring housing and rent prices, rising grocery bills, cuts to healthcare, and the ongoing impact of Donald Trump’s tariffs. Jesse believes that reducing costs for working people during these challenging times must be a top priority. He has sponsored legislation to make it easier for seniors to access property tax relief and worked extensively to expand housing supply and lower housing costs. He has also supported a “Millionaires Tax” to ensure Washington’s wealthiest contribute more toward funding essential services– that legislation also cuts taxes on small businesses and expands the Working Families Tax Credit.

Affordable Housing

Jesse has worked extensively to expand the supply of housing, including rental units, condominiums, cottage housing, and smaller “starter” homes that have long been missing from the market. More housing supply will help bring down costs, putting home ownership within reach for the young people and working families struggling to reach that goal. 

He is proud to have written and passed Washington Senate Bills 5818 and 5412, which cut red tape and made it easier to build new housing. Jesse also supported landmark rent stabilization legislation, protecting renters from massive rent increases– helping them stay in their homes.

Jesse believes everybody in Washington State deserves affordable, high-quality healthcare, regardless of their income or where they live. While the State of Washington has made real progress, decisions in Washington, D.C. have pushed families backward. Trump’s cuts to Medicaid, new red tape, and the refusal of Congressional Republicans to extend federal health insurance subsidies have put thousands of Washingtonians at risk of losing coverage. Premiums have gone up, and too many people are forced to choose between medical care and paying for groceries or rent. This is unacceptable.

To protect care and bring down costs in Washington, these are Jesse’s three priorities:

1. Protect Washington families with progressive, sustainable revenue.
   Shielding our state from federal attacks on healthcare requires stable funding that does not fall on working families. Jesse proudly supports the ‘Millionaire’s Tax” because he believes the very wealthiest should pay their fair share so every family can get the medical care they need.

2. Hold for-profit healthcare systems accountable.
   We must do more to rein in high hospital and prescription drug costs. That means stronger rules publicizing costs, more oversight of corporate healthcare consolidation, and policies that put patients first.

3. Stand up for science-based public health.
   Jesse supports Washington’s partnership with California, Hawaii, and Oregon to coordinate vaccine and public-health guidance to ensure families receive reliable, science-driven health information.  At a time when Trump and his lackeys are politicizing public health agencies, Washington must remain a leader in evidence-based care.

Jesse is committed to making sure every person in Washington can access affordable, dependable healthcare.

Jesse is 100% pro-choice and believes decisions about reproductive health care should be made by women and their doctors—not politicians. He supports access to reproductive health care for people across the economic spectrum, including access to birth control and breastfeeding supplies.

Jesse also believes medical providers who offer reproductive care must be protected under the law. After the 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade, he worked with fellow legislators to develop a strategy to safeguard the right to choose in Washington and protect local doctors and nurses from out-of-state legal threats.

He sponsored Senate Bill 5400, which ensures that Washington medical providers cannot lose their licenses because of convictions in other states for providing care that is legal and consistent with Washington law and medical standards.

Jesse also strongly supports enshrining the right to reproductive care in Washington’s state constitution to ensure these protections remain secure for future generations.

Washington’s affordability crisis has made it increasingly difficult for many people to live and work in our communities, especially when it comes to buying a home. Jesse has worked extensively to expand the supply of housing, including rental units, condominiums, cottage housing, and smaller “starter” homes that have long been missing from the market.

He is proud to have written and passed Washington Senate Bills 5818 and 5412, which cut red tape and made it easier to build new housing. Jesse also supported landmark legislation to limit excessive rent increases, helping renters stay in their homes and providing greater stability for families across Washington.

Jesse believes everyone deserves to live in their community without fear or intimidation. While law enforcement must be able to do their jobs, ICE is operating in ways that violate constitutional protections and sow fear in our communities.

As a lawyer who spent most of his career defending constitutional rights, Jesse is deeply troubled by the impact of these practices. He has co-sponsored legislation to increase accountability and protect civil liberties, including bills that would prohibit ICE agents from wearing face coverings, require judicial warrants before entering sensitive locations such as schools, hospitals, and places of worship, and ensure employers notify workers when federal immigration audits are scheduled.

Public safety is critical to the health of our Washington communities.  With the rise of drug use on our streets and the housing crisis causing more and more vulnerable people to wind up homeless, Jesse understands the balancing act required to address these issues to create safer neighborhoods while working to get people housed and clean.  

The role of law enforcement and our judicial system is to keep violent offenders in check and keep people’s property and bodies safe. Police provide a necessary and valuable service for our communities often under dangerous conditions. However, Jesse also understands that someone experiencing a mental health crisis or suffering from addiction may require a more nuanced approach than just law enforcement or the community turning a blind eye. That is why he believes in implementing programs that address the root of these problems by providing mental health and drug treatment, creating housing options, and providing job training to get people on track. With the help of officers and specialists in these services, Jesse believes we can make real, long-term improvements that uplift our entire communities. Jesse believes that any agency, including law enforcement, needs to keep up with modern standards. He has supported reforms to better align police procedures and actions with the standards we expect and to create better ties with communities of color. His approach is simple: improve and reform — not tear down and destroy.

During his time on the Shoreline City Council, Jesse supported the Risk Assessment, Deterrence, and Referral (RADAR) Program, which increases the likelihood of de-escalation in police interactions with community members in mental health crisis. He has also supported investments in regional training academies so police cadets with families can complete their training closer to home, leading to a more diverse and representative police force. Jesse has also supported stronger accountability measures, like giving the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission the authority to decertify officers who abuse the public’s trust, helping ensure higher standards in law enforcement.

When policy overcorrects, such as the 2021 Washington State v. Blake decision that virtually decriminalized all drugs across Washington, our communities face catastrophic consequences. That’s just one example of why Jesse has championed a balanced solution of enforcement and support that the Seattle Times called “the best chance for steering people to needed treatment.”

Gun violence remains far too common and continues to cause preventable tragedies in our communities. Jesse believes we must take common-sense steps to keep our communities safe.

He was the lead sponsor of Washington Senate Bill 6294, which requires individuals to successfully complete firearms safety training before obtaining a concealed pistol license, as well as Senate Bill 5231, a bipartisan bill that keeps guns out of the hands of domestic abusers.

Jesse also supported efforts to limit high-capacity magazines and strengthen background checks. In addition, he backs limits on open carry at school board meetings, protests, and similar public gatherings, as well as strong “red flag” laws that allow courts to temporarily remove firearms from individuals who pose a danger to themselves or others.

As more people move to our region, addressing transportation challenges and traffic congestion has become increasingly important. Jesse was proud to help pass a $16 billion transportation package —one of the greenest and most transit-focused investments in Washington’s history.

He also believes we must continue building the infrastructure that makes public transit more accessible and effective. That includes improving connections to the region’s expanding light rail system, such as faster and more reliable bus service that helps people easily get to and from stations.

Investing in education at every level is one of the most important commitments we can make to the next generation. Research consistently shows that early learning helps level the playing field, which is why Jesse supported Washington Senate Bill 5237 in 2021. The legislation provided hundreds of millions of dollars to expand access to preschool and childcare for low-income families. That investment is funded by Washington’s capital gains tax, which applies only to the top 0.25% of earners in the state.

Jesse also believes we must continue strengthening our public schools. That includes reducing class sizes, expanding tutoring and student support programs, and increasing access to free breakfast and lunch so every student can focus on learning.

Education is also key to workforce readiness. As career paths continue to evolve, Jesse believes students should have strong opportunities to pursue vocational and technical training alongside traditional four-year degree programs, ensuring every student can find a pathway that works for them.

The impacts of climate change are already being felt across the Pacific Northwest—from more frequent heat waves and droughts to worsening wildfire seasons and changing ocean conditions. Jesse knows that confronting climate change is one of the defining challenges of our time.

He was proud to sponsor the Washington Climate Commitment Act, landmark legislation that created a statewide carbon cap-and-invest program to reduce emissions while investing in clean energy and climate resilience. Jesse has also supported policies to accelerate Washington’s transition to clean energy and expand investments in wind and solar power and secured $500 million for stormwater treatment that will keep our water cleaner and protect salmon habitats.

He believes Washington must continue leading on climate solutions—protecting our environment, strengthening our economy, and building a more sustainable future.