ELECTIONS 2026 / DAVE PAUL: End of Summer Community Updates
State Representative Dave Paul (D-Oak Harbor) sent this email to supporters from his campaign email account on Sep. 4, 2025.
Friends,
I spend a lot of my time listening to residents across our district, so that I can learn what issues are most important to our community—and then work on solutions in Olympia. Much of my work over the last month has focused on collaborating with first responders, local elected officials, and community members to improve behavioral health and public safety.
It’s no secret that there is not enough infrastructure in our region to help those who need mental health services and substance use disorder treatment. I’m especially proud that the state legislature approved my request to allocate $927,000 in the 2025 Capital Budget to expand the Ituha Stabilization Facility in Oak Harbor. This was my #1 capital request last session—and I’m grateful for the bipartisan support to help our community.
I also met with local community members and local experts to learn first-hand about their experiences—and frustrations—with trying to help family members experiencing mental health crisis. I will be meeting with local and state elected officials throughout the fall to help address shortcomings in our system and identify ways our state can improve treatment services.
It’s also clear that our local public safety agencies are understaffed, a problem that is made worse as many police officers, deputies, and fire fighters near retirement. I’ve worked closely with local public safety leaders, budget writers, and local and state officials to create the Basic Law Enforcement Academy in Arlington. Regional training academies are especially critical for recruiting parents and underrepresented groups into local agencies, since other training sites are hours away.
I’m pleased to report that the Arlington training center graduated its first class on July 30. It was an honor to attend the ceremony and celebrate the graduating class with family members and community members!
Finally, I attended National Night Out in Oak Harbor in early August. It was terrific to connect with so many community members, first responders, and community groups that are dedicated to improving our community.
As always, it’s an honor to serve as your state representative.
Dave
[Ed. Note: donation link omitted]
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