Nettles Challenges Hewitt

WAITSBURG - City Councilman and longtime Waitsburg resident Scott Nettles has thrown his hat in the ring to run against incumbent Mike Hewitt for State Senator of the 16th District.

He announced his candidacy last week but has not yet filed to run. Nettles said he will run on the Democratic ticket.

"I've been kicking the idea around for the last couple of year," Nettles said. "I want to make sure (working people) have a voice."

Nettles said because Hewitt has recently run unopposed, it felt like this was the year to provide some competition. Hewitt has held the seat since 2000.

"I can't sit and complain and not step up," Nettles said.

Nettles is a correctional officer at the Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla. He is steward of the local union Teamsters 117. This is his third year serving on the Waitsburg City Council.

Nettles said he doesn't agree with the way Hewitt has been voting on legislation. He said some of Hewitt's votes have hurt the average worker and he wants to stand up for public employees.

"A huge chunk of workers in this area are public employees," Nettles added.

He is setting his sights high on the Senate seat because Nettles said he believes the politicians at the county and house level are doing a satisfactory job in standing up for what he believes in. However, Hewitt leaves much to be desired, he said.

Nettles has been a public employee for 12 years, describes himself as prolabor and can represent the interests of teachers and prison workers.

"The person who goes to Olympia needs to represent those people," he said.

Lily Wilson-Codega, a representative from Nettles' union, said Hewitt's voting record has included support for bills that created early retirement penalties and cut funding from schools, colleges and local governments. A big issue for her union was a tax exemption for big companies that resulted in the repurposing of prisons across the state, Wilson-Codega said. She said Nettles could be the person to stand up and say "enough is enough."

"Scott cares deeply about public service," she said. "And he knows what it's like to struggle."

Nettles said even though his biggest support will come from the unions and public employees, he said he's not only wanting to stand up for those groups.

He wants to see conditions, bargaining rights and pay improve for all working people.

As a city councilman of a small town, Nettles said he can see how much communities lose by not having adequate representation. He said he wants to step up and fight for his community.

If elected as senator for the 16th District, Nettles said he will ask the community whether it would like him to stay on the council, take a leave of absence or resign.

Nettles has lived in Waitsburg for 44 years. He said he was raised by a single parent and raised his daughter on his own. His daughter is now 23.

"I'm not just a public worker's guy," Nettles said. "I know where they come from. I understand what it's like to make ends meet. I come from a humble place."

Spring LaMere, who has known Nettles for 29 years and will be helping with his campaign, said Nettles is level-headed and always listens to both sides of every argument before making a decision. These qualities would make him a great senator, she said.

"He really wants to do the best for people in his community," LaMere said.

The deadline for candidates to file for the District 16 seat is May 18. No one, as of Tuesday, has yet filed for the senate seat.