Politicians don’t always follow through on their promises, but even after just two terms, Rep. Drew Stokesbary has a record anyone would be proud of:
Awards and Recognitions
In addition to the countless individuals and organizations who have endorsed his reelection campaign, Rep. Stokesbary’s hard work in the Legislature on behalf of the residents of the 31st District has earned special recognition by several groups:
- Recipient of the June Robinson Public Health Funding Award by the Washington State Public Health Association, for his work securing public health funding before and during COVID-19
- Winner of the City Champion Award from the Association of Washington Cities for helping to develop solutions to solve the budgetary challenges of cities
- Named Honorary Fire Chief by the Washington Fire Chiefs for his for his work in Olympia to preserve and improve fire services
- Winner of City Champion Award from Association of Washington Cities for his work on comprehensive police “body cam” legislation
- Recipient of “In The Bag” Award from Washington Food Industry Association for his work on behalf of local, independent grocery stores
Community Investments
Rep. Stokesbary has worked with senior legislators on both sides of the aisle to fund capital projects that make our neighborhoods a great place to live, work and raise a family:
- New and modernized schools in Auburn, Carbonado, Sumner, and White River School Districts
- More homeless shelter beds for Nexus Youth and Families in Auburn (formerly (Auburn Youth Resources)
- A new drug rehabilitation facility in Auburn, operated by Valley Cities Counseling
- Upgraded facilities at Rainier State School in Buckley
- Completion of the brand-new Gordon Family YMCA in Sumner
- Campus expansion at Auburn Valley YMCA
- Improvements, repairs, and maintenance at the Enumclaw Expo Center
- Flood control projects along the Green River (north of Enumclaw), White River (in Sumner), Puyallup River (between Sumner and Orting), and Carbon River (from Carbonado to Orting)
- Phase 1 of a brand-new Edgewood Community Park
- Additional extensions of the Foothills Trail in South Prairie, Sumner, and Buckley, connecting the trail to Enumclaw
- Improvements to Roosevelt Park in Wilkeson
- New storage facilities for the Daffodil Heritage Parade in Sumner
Legislative Victories
Rep. Stokesbary has already been the prime sponsor of five bills signed into law by the Governor:
- HB 1467 improves fire service efficiencies so departments can reduce overhead costs and deliver more services instead
- HB 1940 protects funding for the King and Pierce County flood control districts so they have the resources to continue combatting floods along the Green, White, Puyallup, and Carbon Rivers
- HB 1637 helps combat the rising opioid epidemic by allowing tribal law enforcement agencies access to the state’s prescription drug monitoring database
- HB 2320 saves Emerald Downs from potential temporary shutdowns, which helps boost the Auburn economy
- HB 1253 streamlines regulations for many small businesses who had been regulated by two separate state agencies
Rep. Stokesbary also introduced HB 1427, which would have expanded the property tax exemption available to fixed-income retirees and veterans. The Legislature ultimately passed a similar Senate bill, which the Governor signed in 2015.
In addition, Rep. Stokesbary has sponsored or co-sponsored several other important bills to keep our communities safe:
- HB 1761 to prevent King County or other municipalities from opening “heroin injection sites”
- HB 2545 bans the use of several known toxic chemicals in children’s toys and clothing
- HB 1281 expands a successful tri-county child pornography task force to cover the entire state
Transportation Improvements
Rep. Stokesbary has worked diligently to successfully obtain funding for several badly-needed transportation projects in our communities. These projects will decrease travel times, increase safety, and give families more time to spend together:
- Final completion of a freeway (Highway 167) between Puyallup and Tacoma, which had been promised to residents by WSDOT and the Legislature for over 30 years
- Construction of a new eastbound Highway 18 off-ramp and a bypass around Auburn Way South, which will reduce congestion on Highway 18 and decrease travel times to South Auburn and the Enumclaw Plateau
- Design and engineering of a new, wider Traffic Avenue bridge over Highway 410 in Sumner, which will greatly reduce the long rush hour backups going in and out of Sumner
- Construction of a seismic wall along Jovita Boulevard in Edgewood, which will protect the integrity of this important thoroughfare even in a significant earthquake
Issues
Learn more about where Rep. Drew Stokesbary stands on the Legislature’s most pressing issues, and the policies he will fight for if re-elected: