Blake: Connected with constituents

In an interview with The Eagle, Brian Blake, Democratic Rep. for the 19th District, including Wahkiakum County, said he enjoyed the Bald Eagle Days festivities.

Events also remind him of the importance of community and connections with the community.

“Events like that keep me connected with people,” he said. “I get to meet the people and hear from them first-hand what they think is important.”

Blake said his record shows he is interested in protecting and supporting small communities in the lower Columbia region

Blake got into politics advocating for hunters and fishermen’s rights. Before his appointment to office in 2002, as a activist, Blake took both the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Fish and Wildlife to task after they came to Grays Harbor County and tried to turn a local traditional hunting grounds into a wildlife preserve. He won.

His success as an activist brought him success as a politician. In 2002 he was appointed to fill the vacancy left by Mark Doumit, D-Cathlamet, after Doumit moved to the State Senate in 2003.

In the last eight years Blake has sponsored over 111 bills, most pertaining to laws that regulate or refine rules on hunting, trapping, sport fishing, commercial fishing, land use and aquatic regulations for the capture of crab, clams and mussels.

“I also hope to continue strengthening the timber industry and agriculture sectors,” said Blake. “I’ve been very supportive of the fishing industry.” He said the Puget Sound region has gotten all the benefits of the state’s fishery dollars. “I don’t think that’s a very fair outcome,” he added.

Blake said he is most interested in developing the job market in Southwest Washington.

“In Wahkiakum County we’ve got to focus on its strengths. We’ve got to attract people to the waterfront - Bring people to the marina."

He said he sees tourism as an important aspect of the job market for Wahkiakum County. He used the Bald Eagle Days celebration and the Wooden Boat Show as prime examples of a good economic strategy but said people need to get involved in their communities.

“I think, too, if the people of Wahkiakum would vote more often, it would be a boon to their community.” He said he wants to continue to partner with the local Chamber of Commerce, “...and the economic development folks.”

“These are difficult budget times for the state and it’s important to protect the investments we’ve already made,” said Blake. He indicated that for now Wahkiakum can’t expect a lot of help from the state for things like business parks or other forms of incubator infrastructure spending.

“I do think there’ll be help in the future.” he said.

Senior health care is also on his agenda and he considers it one of the state’s “basic” obligations.

“To the extent we can keep seniors in their own homes it is much better for both the senior and the state’s budget,” Blake said. “Education, that’s a paramount duty of the state and we have to protect the investments we’ve made in that area.” The state has spent a lot of money on “early learning” programs because it been shown those programs pay off. He also includes mental health funding as a part of the state’s investment portfolio.

As the Agriculture and Natural Resource Chairman, Blake said he’s been instrumental in the allocation of emergency food distribution programs and he has shown support for strengthening water rights.

“I’m also a life member of the National Rifle Association and I believe in gun ownership. I believe individual liberty and private property rights are very important to all of us.”

Regarding the Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board and the Columbia Land Trust, Blake believes the problems between Grays River Valley residents and the non-governmental organizations (NGO's) working to restore the river are complex.

“I am somewhat concerned there is a disconnect between that board (LCFRB) and the people that live in the community,” said Blake. “I think we need to do a better job of communicating in our region so the jobs we allow to happen are supported by the local community.”

Blake is a resident of Aberdeen and married to Debra Thomas-Blake. He attended Aberdeen High School and received an Applied Science certificate from Grays Harbor Community College. From there Blake received a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Studies from The Evergreen State College.

After college Blake worked for 10 years as a contract forester for the Weyerhaeuser Co. He was injured in a logging accident and then spent three years as an Environmental Specialist III with the Department of Corrections

His current committee assignments in the Olympia Legislature include chairman of the Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee. He sits on both the Capital Budget Committee, and the General Government Appropriations Committee.

He is an active member of the Joint Legislative Committee on Water Supply during Drought and sits on Electron Dam Salmon Passage Work Group. He councils the Recreation on State Trust Lands Work Group and is on the Council of State Governments – WEST. He works on the Legislative Council on River Governance, and a member of the Western Legislative Forestry Task Force Coastal Caucus and the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission.

Blake is an active board member of the Lower Columbia Community Action Council and is active in the Pacific County Food Bank Distribution Center

Blake said he considers himself a “conservative Democrat” that works to protect and provide each citizen access to their natural heritage. He said during this next legislative session he wants to create new opportunities. His priorities will be to promote family wage jobs and make educational training more available.