PORT ANGELES — Port Angeles Port Commissioner Connie Beauvais formally announced her run for Washington State Senate in the 24TH District on Tuesday.
Beauvais, a 20-year resident of Joyce, is the elected Port Angeles Port Commissioner in District 3, as well as Manager and state-certified operator at the Crescent Water Association.
High on her list of priorities is encouraging small business development.
“I heard from more and more people about how they are concerned about the amount of taxes that they have to pay, and what some of the laws that have recently been passed due to small business. To make our small businesses thrive is what we should be going for. I want to leave all the dollars I can in the pockets of those people who actually earn it because I think they can make some pretty darn good decisions about their budgeting of their funds.”
We asked Beauvais to talk about what she’s learned while serving as a Port Commissioner in terms of economic development.
“We have been, especially with the Port, we’ve been very proactive in learning what the future is in the marine industry so that we can keep up with the innovation. We can’t continue to fall farther and farther behind. We’ve lost almost all of our mills. And so one of the things that I would like to move forward is providing funding for Ports, because they’re able to build infrastructure and then lease it out. Ports, if they have the ability to have more money to build more infrastructure and even equipment, then it’ll be easier for a small business that wants to make a wood value-added product, that they would be able to lease that equipment from the Port over a period of time rather than have that included in their upfront cost. So things like that can help move new businesses forward.”
Beauvais, a Republican, will challenge Democrat Kevin Van De Wege of Sequim, who is serving his first term in the State Senate.
Elections for the office of Washington State Senate will take place on November 3 this year. A primary is scheduled for August 4.
Photo of Beauvais and husband Jim from connieforsenate.com.