4th Legislative District Mccaslin Vs. Orr: Both Candidates Have Legislative Experience

Thu., Oct. 31, 1996

By Brian Coddington brianc@spokesman.com

Four of the five candidates seeking three positions from the 4th District have legislative experience.

Only Democrat Frank Galizia, who is challenging GOP incumbent Larry Crouse for a House position, is a political newcomer.

Mark Sterk, the GOP incumbent, is unopposed for the other position.

In the Senate, incumbent Republican Bob McCaslin will face off against Democrat George Orr, a former state representative.

The district encompasses most of the Spokane Valley and part of Hillyard.

The Senate race matches the two candidates with the most experience.

At 70, McCaslin, a former Kaiser employee and real estate agent, is seeking his fifth term. He says his top legislative priority is tackling the state’s Growth Management Act. He has vowed either to repeal the law or change it to allow counties to opt out of the now-mandatory rules regulating urban development.

McCaslin also proposes doing away with the 60-day legislative session, leaving it up to the governor to call special sessions when needed.

Orr, 53, served two terms as a state representative before he was defeated by Crouse in 1994.

The 26-year Valley Fire veteran and former Central Valley school board member said he would focus on education and conservation of natural resources. He also plans to fight to amend the Growth Management Act to allow more local control.

Crouse vs. Galizia

If elected to the House, Galizia, a 36-year-old Valley optometrist, plans to push for a rollback of the 1993 state business and occupations tax increase and return money collected from the motor vehicle excise tax to address transportation needs.

A father of three, Galizia also vowed to find ways to improve the public education system. If elected, Galizia pledged to donate half of his salary as a legislator to a fund to encourage an at-home reading program between student and their parents. He also plans to fight juvenile crime.

Standing in Galizia’s way is Crouse. The 51-year-old former Kaiser manager and real estate agent, also talks tough on crime and taxes.

To help fight crime, Crouse advocates building larger prisons. He also talks about returning the motor vehicle excise tax to transportation coffers and wants to slow rising property taxes.

, DataTimes MEMO: See individual profiles by name of candidate

This sidebar appeared with the story: 4TH DISTRICT Most of the Spokane Valley and part of Hillyard.

See individual profiles by name of candidate

This sidebar appeared with the story: 4TH DISTRICT Most of the Spokane Valley and part of Hillyard.

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