When I hear people complaining about how corrupt American politics is, my first thought is to tell them to quit their pissing and moaning, stand up, and run for office. BE the change they want to see.

It is time to quit my own pissing and moaning, stand up, and run for office. I would like to announce that I am running as an independent candidate for the Washington State House of Representatives, District 43. I am seeking the seat currently held by Speaker of the House Frank Chopp.

Like many states, Washington has been hit very hard in the economic downturn. We do not have a state income tax, and rely instead on sales taxes, property taxes and a “business and occupation” tax to provide local and state revenues. When people are not buying, when companies are making less income than they were the year before, the state feels it. To cover these losses, the Legislature has cut more than $10 billion since 2008, affecting public education, law enforcement, job training and the social safety net. With additional shortfalls forecast, the Governor will be calling the Legislature into a special session later this month to cut another $2 billion. If they pass her proposed budget, the results will be disasterous. Convicted felons will be given an early release of up to six months, while state funding for parole supervision will be eliminated. The state’s Basic Health Plan, an insurance provider of last-resort for the indigent sick that has already kicked out more than 8,000 people in the last 3 years, will be shut down for good. Free kindergarten at public schools will become a thing of the past. State run mental health hospitals will be closed, and patients either left to fend for themselves or moved into prisons.

And yet, a 2008 Department of Revenue report documented 567 tax exemptions and corporate subsidies in state law. Some exist because of federal tax law (churches are not subject to a property tax) or because of exemptions found in the state constitution (public utility districts and school districts are not subject to a property tax, either.) But if all of the exemptions and subsidies that could be repealed were, the report found, state and local governments would have gotten $14.8 billion in the 2007-2009 budget cycle. That is $7.4 billion every year. But not only has the Legislature refused to repeal any of these exemptions, it has continued to add more.

In other words, the state would rather eliminate necessary services and bring harm and suffering to the people, than cost corporations a single penny in extra profit. This has got to stop.

If elected, I will work to repeal the tax subsidies given to Boeing, Microsoft, banks and other large corporations, and use that money to restore funding to schools, law enforcement and other public services. In addition, I promise to be a strong advocate for equal marriage, support the legalization of marijuana and work to create new jobs that offer more than subsistence wages.

I am running as an independent because I want to be accountable to the voters of my district: parties demand loyalty to their own agenda, and far too often, that agenda is not in the best interest of the people. For the same reason, I will be accepting campaign contributions only from actual people and not from corporations or other special interests.

Please visit my website at www.ElectGregoryGadow.com to learn more about me and what I hope to accomplish in Olympia. If you like what you see, please spread the word. Going against the establishment and the party machinery is going to be tough, and I hope I can count on your support.