Come this November, voters will once again be faced with deciding who will be their voice in the state Legislature over the next two years.

Republican incumbent Barbara Bailey, 66, is running for her fifth term in the legislature. After eight years serving in the minority, the Oak Harbor resident said she is seeking re-election for what she believes may be her most important term yet.

“We are at a point in history where we’re going to set the course of what government should and shouldn’t do, possibly for the next decade,” she said.

Bailey has a background in the hospitality industry. She is a certified marketing executive and hotel administrator, and currently runs her own management consulting and training firm in Oak Harbor, the city where she has lived since 1991.

Hoping to unseat Bailey is Tom Riggs, a 39-year-old Camano Island resident. Riggs, who has never run for office, said he decided to make the leap into politics after realizing that nothing will change by complaining from the sidelines.

“It’s time to put my money where my mouth is,” he said.

Riggs has lived in the 10th district for the past six years. He is a 17-year veteran of Washington Parks and Recreation, working his way up from seasonal help, to park ranger, to his current position as the manager of Camano Island State Park and the assistant area manager of Cama Beach.

Bailey is running on her record. She believes her greatest success has been in the realm of government accountability. In this past term, she introduced a package of bills, one of which proposed that no bill be adopted unless the price tag of the item be firmly identified first.

While none of the bills have passed, they have gained traction. As can be the case with bills introduced by members of the minority, they are rejected by the majority but later reintroduced and passed by members of the same party. Bailey chalks those up to victories, even though her name may not have been on the bill.

“It’s not about who gets credit,” she said. “It’s about trying to do the right thing.”

Bailey did not say a word about her opponent, until asked, during an interview, nor has she mentioned him on her website. Her webpage focuses on issues such as the creation and protection of jobs and balancing the state’s budget without the introduction of new taxes.

Riggs also appears to be focusing on issues, with his website clearly describing a platform of job creation, the development of a sustainable economy through the promotion of sustainable energy, and having a voice in government that speaks for “working people.” He is not so hesitant to mention his opponent, however. A section on his website attacks Bailey’s voting record and alleges a connection with campaign contributions.

“I am also concerned by the fact that in 2008, her two largest campaign donors by industry were ‘Insurance’ and ‘Pharmaceutical and Health Products,’ and then in 2009, she sponsored a bill (HB 1868) that is favorable to the insurance industry, but detrimental to disabled children,” he wrote on his website.

Money and politics is a big issue for Riggs. He believes it’s so important that he gathered the 500 signatures that state law says can be used in lieu of the filing fee for elective offices. He is refusing all out-of-state contributions, and includes links on his website to the Public Disclosure Commission’s summary of his campaign contributions. He supplied a link to Bailey’s list as well.

Riggs also appears to be making an attempt to garner votes from across the political spectrum by aligning with groups ranging from the Tea Party to idealists such as Michael Moore. A letter Moore wrote to President Barack Obama and the Democratic Party Leadership titled, “5 Things Dems Can Do to Turn It Around by November 2nd” is posted on his website along with an entire page that talks about the “common ground” shared with the Tea Party.

As for state issues, the candidates agree things need to change in Olympia if the economy is going to recover. But it’s no surprise that they disagree on how to do it.

For example, they differ greatly when it comes to Initiative 1098 — the November ballot measure that proposes to impose an income tax on individuals earning more than $200,000 a year, or couples earning $400,000 a year.

“I favor I-1098,” Riggs said. “I’ve been advised not to give those straight answers but that’s just how I am.”

He said he would also support an income tax for all if it also got rid of the business and operation tax and sales tax, which would promote tax fairness.

Bailey is adamantly against any income tax, especially now when the economy is drowning and businesses need certainty and predictability. Rather the government’s priority should be focused on tightening belts and cutting expenses, she said.

Evaluating programs for effectiveness, then chopping them if they aren’t up to snuff is one method, said Bailey, while another is to cut back on luxury expenses such as paid family leave for state employees.

“Most people should be thinking that it’s nice to have a job,” she said.

Riggs, however, believes the state would do better to create more jobs at home rather than limit them. He claimed his own department outsources work to Canada just to save a few dollars. He also believes the state should be looking at different revenue sources, such as moving away from the consumption of coal. Instead, it should be a leader in the sustainable energy industry, he said.

Both candidates agree a plan to replace the Deception Pass Bridge is needed. Neither believe it’s ready to collapse tomorrow, but the state should be prepared to ensure limited disruption of one of Whidbey Island’s most vital transportation links.

Riggs said it is public works projects that will help the economy while Bailey compared it to the Steel Electric ferry fiasco.

“We can’t sit here and wait for the ferries to stop and not have a plan,” she said. “We can’t sit here and wait for the bridge to fall down and not have a plan. There is really no excuse for not doing that.”

Barbara Bailey

• Age: 66

• Family: Married 27 years, four children, nine grandchildren.

• Years in district: 29 years.

• Career: Certified marketing executive and hotel administrator. Currently runs her own management consulting and training firm.

Education: Bachelor of science in psychology from State University of New York.

• Organizations: Navy League, American Legislative Exchange Council, Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce member.

Tom Riggs

• Age: 39

• Family: Married 16 years, two children

• Years in district: Six.

• Career: 17 years as a park ranger, currently the manager of Camano Island State Park, and the assistant area manager for Cama Beach.

• Education: Bachelor of science in outdoor recreation from Central Washington University.

• Organizations: Sierra Club member, Friends of Camano Island Parks member, and a Washington State University Extension Waste Wise volunteer.