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The
Herald
Published: April, 1997
'To
Make Government Work Better, Rep. Schmidt Listens'
Suzanne Barrett, Editorial Writer
 Rep. Dave Schmidt is one of those people who carries a cordial personality wherever he goes. Whether walking the streets of Mill Creek or leading a Government Administration Committee hearing at the state Capitol, this Republican is one elected official who is always willing to listen almost to a fault.
As chair of the House Government Administration Committee, it's necessary for him to keep to a tight schedule and cut people off who are passionately testifying about an issue. That's not easy for a person who prides himself on making sure everyone in his committee is heard. Perhaps he'll become a hardened leader and ruthlessly end lengthy debate, as he gains experience in Olympia. Don't count on it. That would go against his nature.
Whether with Democrats or Republicans, Schmidt takes the time to find common ground. "If everyone worked like Dave Schmidt this place would be far better off in the way we work," said fifth year Rep. Cathy Wolfe who lives, works and represents the Olympia beltway in the Legislature.
In a session where some are chastised for strongly held personal beliefs, and political scheming has become second nature, Schmidt stands out as a gentleman. Sure, he has personal convictions that he refuses to waver from but he's willing to talk to the other side to hear their viewpoints. That's a rare practice in Olympia these days.
It's easy for constituents to lose track of Schmidt's activities at the Capitol. He's not in the headlines. He's not in the midst of controversy. Instead he's working diligently for a better, more responsible government. There are no quick fixes. As a result, Schmidt's successful bill count won't be soaring this session. Instead, he is leading examinations of major issues such as privatization of government services, revamping local government financing and election reforms.
One of the issues he's most committed to is the privatization of state government. Without even looking, Schmidt can reach into his neatly organized file drawer and pull out photocopies of a glowing analysis of Indianapolis' success with such a program. He'd like to create a model in Washington.
This program expresses the epitome of Schmidt's character. The idea is to bring everyone along toward the goal of better government, including unions, management and private companies. There is no perfect solution. Frank discussions and a willingness to try something new are a great start though. Maybe not so surprising, Indianapolis proved that oftentimes government unions were able to do jobs cheaper and more efficiently than private companies if given the tools and flexibility to be creative. It's examples like Indianapolis that make Schmidt's eyes light up.
Even Lyn McKinnon, a governmental relations specialist representing state unions, agrees that Schmidt's ability to work with others and present his views honestly may be the key to making this concept a reality for state government. They are not in total agreement yet, by any means, but Schmidt is committed to listening to various groups and working out a compromise.
This summer, Schmidt will also work with local government officials and financial experts from around the state, searching for a better way to finance local cities and counties. Schmidt is looking for a paradigm shift (one of his popular phrases) in the future of funding. He admits he doesn't have the answers yet, but he does know that following the status quo won't do anyone any good. Hopefully, he'll be able to bring a plan back to the Legislature that ends unfunded mandates and responsibly funds local governments.
Throughout this process Schmidt may prove to his constituents and the rest of the state that his diplomatic skills are only in the beginning stages. Fortunately for the 44th District, Schmidt is happy being a legislator and will serve as long as he's allowed. Beyond local government refinements, however, his broader outlook and interest reaches to the Pacific Rim. He is well aware of Washington's dependence on international trade and foreign relations and would like to be a part of building on that success. The skills and talents he's shown in his first three years as a state legislator seem to fit with that future goal perfectly. Whether he works on international trade as a state representative or in some other fashion remains to be seen.
His wider focus could be reinforced this summer, after Schmidt returns from a week-long leadership conference in Kentucky. He's been selected as a Toll Fellow, representing the region west of the Rocky Mountains. He and 39 other up and coming state leaders throughout the country will join together to be inspired and educated about leadership and issues this nation will be dealing with in the 21st century. Sponsored by the Council of State Governments, Schmidt is only the third Washington state leader chosen to attend this conference in the last eight years.
No matter what his long term ambitions, it's likely Schmidt will come home fired up and ready to attack as many state issues as he can. Unfortunately he may not have the time to accomplish as much as he could if this state didn't have term limits. While only in his second term, Schmidt feels he's approaching that looming deadline much too fast. As a freshman committee chair, so much of his time is spent just learning the ropes, he doesn't have time to tackle major legislative issues, except in the off-season. This despite 80-90 hour work weeks. Yes it's true, this 42 year-old committee chair learning how to get as many bills through the process as possible, works about 15 hours a day six days a week.
That's all right with him. He's committed to the outcome of making government better for the state and his family. Schmidt tries to make his office as much like home as is possible in an ancient building. He brought his comfortable recliner to relax in while he's reading reams of legislative bills. Leisure books by Tom Clancy and William Bennett sit on the end table. They're never opened -- they just remind him of a forgotten time when he had the luxury of leisure reading.
Don't expect Schmidt to become a career politician who's just in Olympia to collect a paycheck. He's there to do a job and when it's finished he'll come home to his family and find another job making his community a better place to live. Meanwhile, he tries not to take his job too seriously. He often looks at the pictures in the halls of the Capitol of all the legislatures dating back to 1887. Schmidt summarizes his time in Olympia succinctly. "Four years after I'm gone, I'm just another picture on the wall no one remembers. Life goes on."
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