8/26/2006
Ross says she'd make education a priority if elected to Washington Legislature
By Michelle Dupler, Moscow-Pullman Daily News staff writer
Ross
Caitlin Ross has traveled the world, from China to Africa to France. She always ends up back home in Washington.
Born and raised in the Seattle area, Ross has lived in eastern Washington for the last five years.
"I found myself in eastern Washington," Ross said. "I identify myself as a person, as Caitlin Ross, with eastern Washington."
The 22-year-old Gonzaga graduate hopes to represent eastern Washington as one of two 9th District representatives to the state Legislature.
Ross is running as the only Democrat in the race, but she looks to retiring Republican Rep. Don Cox for inspiration.
"People respected him," Ross said. "He took care of education, took care of people. He's a good model to follow."
Like Cox, Ross wants to make education a priority if elected to the Legislature. She wants to keep money flowing to Washington State University and the district's other university and colleges.
On the public school front, she may be the only candidate who took the Washington Assessment of Student Learning in high school. Ross didn't need the test to graduate but wrote a paper about the experience.
Her paper focused on how the test would change education by encouraging teachers to teach to the test. It stifles the creativity of both the teachers and the students, she said.
Ross believes a Democrat is needed to represent the 9th District because Democrats hold the majority in Washington's Legislature. It's difficult for members of the minority party to have their voices heard in the Legislature, meaning their constituents aren't heard, she said.
Ross defines herself as a more conservative Democrat than some of her fellow party members. She's a practicing Roman Catholic and believes in personal responsibility. She also believes it's important not to lie, cheat or be wasteful, either of tangible things such as money or intangibles such as trust.
Other ideals Ross hopes to take to the Legislature are fiscal responsibility and a respect for the region's agriculture.
She won't promise to lower or eliminate any taxes, but she does believe tax policy needs to be under constant review to determine what's working best for the state and its residents.
She also believes tax money needs to be spent responsibly.
"As a recent student, I know what it's like to count penny-to-penny," she said. "We should spend the money on what is used ... It should be spent wisely and accounted for."
Some might view Ross' youth as a disadvantage in a political campaign. She sees it as an advantage, allowing her to go to Olympia with a fresh perspective on government and energy to pursue an agenda that supports eastern Washington.
The ultimate responsibility of public servants is to represent all of the people who elected them, she said. Ross plans to listen to what people have to say and take their ideas to Olympia when the session starts in January.
"How can I represent people if I don't listen, if I don't talk to people?" she said.
Candidate Bio
* NAME: Caitlin Ross
* RUNNING FOR: Washington Legislature 9th District Representative, Position 1
* PERSONAL: 22 years old; single; no children
* OCCUPATION: Clerical
* ACTIVITIES: Flutist, French tutor
