Derek Sarley for State Representative
Father. Small Business Leader. A Decade of Experience on the Walla Walla School Board.
If the status quo could deliver for us, it would have done so by now. The 16th Legislative District needs real accountability and a voice with real experience in our communities.
As a father, member of the Walla Walla School Board, and small business leader, I know what it takes to bring people together, balance tough budgets, and fight for real opportunity. I am ready to bring that experience to the State Legislature.
I’m running to represent the whole 16th and to listen to every voice in it.
What Representing LD 16 Means
Better Schools and a future Families can Afford
I’m committed to delivering better schools and a more affordable future. For too long, Washington has treated education as a funding debate instead of an opportunity debate. I’ve spent a decade on the Walla Walla School Board proving what real investment and real leadership can accomplish while balancing a budget even as the state’s commitment to its paramount duty has slackened.
Families in the 16th are being crushed by rising costs. Washington has the second-most regressive tax code in the nation and a structurally broken state budget. Our affordability crisis didn’t appear overnight. It was built through years of policy decisions that ignored the realities of working families and rural communities.
I understand these problems, and the stakes, and am ready to get to work.
Why I’m Running
I am Running to give the 16th a Voice.
I believe in community, opportunity, and responsibility, and I’m stepping forward because our district deserves a leader who will put those values into action every single day.
I got my first taste of Olympia’s one-size-fits-some approach when the state reworked our education funding system. Despite the state making a significant investment in public education, our district’s revenue barely budged. We lost almost as much as we gained. And that happened because we had no one in the room advocating for districts like ours.
That’s when we started doing our own advocacy at the state level, talking to legislators who weren’t in the 16th, but who wanted to understand what wasn’t working and could help fix it. This should not be the norm. We should have Representatives who are there for us. We need a seat at the table, and a Representative who will fight for us every day.
I will be that Representative for you.
On the Campaign Trail
Reports from the Field
Here’s the latest from the campaign trail and our work across the district. Follow along for regular updates on what we’re hearing, doing, and fighting for across the 16th.
