Priorities (long form)

Priorities

Affordability

Affordability is the defining challenge facing families and businesses in the 32nd Legislative District and across Washington State. Rising costs—housing, healthcare, childcare, food, and utilities—are hitting every household, pushing working families to the brink, forcing seniors on fixed incomes to make impossible choices, and making it harder than ever to start or sustain a small business.

These pressures are not isolated—they are directly tied to rising homelessness, housing insecurity, and the growing inability of families to buy or remain in their homes. We cannot ignore the reality that Washington’s regressive tax structure continues to overburden working families and those trying to build a life from the ground up.

Will Chen supports moving toward more progressive and balanced revenue structures that reduce pressure on middle- and lower-income households while ensuring fairness and sustainability. We cannot continue to solve budget challenges by overtaxing the same people who are already struggling to get by. Seniors should not be forced to sell their homes just to survive, and families should not be priced out of the communities they helped build.

As a CPA and small business owner, Will brings a practical, data-driven approach to policy. He will advocate for real solutions, not political talking points—solutions that recognize economic reality, support job creation, and restore affordability across housing, healthcare, and daily living costs.

Will Chen’s story is a reminder of what opportunity makes possible. He came to this country with limited English, no safety net, and big dreams—dreams that were realized through hard work, education, and perseverance. Today, those same dreams are increasingly under attack.

At the federal level, extreme rhetoric and policies seek to criminalize immigrants who are working, contributing, and striving for a better life. These attacks do not reflect our values, weaken our economy, and tear at the fabric of our communities.

Will believes Washington must continue to lead—standing up for inclusive policies that expand opportunity, protect dignity, and invest in support systems that help people succeed.

As a state legislator, he will use both his lived experience and his platform to advocate for policies that strengthen immigrant families, expand access to services, and ensure that everyone who calls the 32nd District home has the chance to thrive.

Opportunity should not depend on where you start—it should be defined by how hard you’re willing to work and the support systems we build together.

Immigration & Opportunity

Public Safety & Community Health

Public safety is not a campaign slogan—it is the foundation of strong communities. Will Chen believes we must move beyond reactive, short-term fixes and instead pursue policies that meaningfully improve safety for everyone.

Accountability matters. Those who commit crimes must be held responsible for their actions. But accountability alone is not enough. If we continue to ignore the root causes of crime—housing instability, untreated mental health needs, addiction, and lack of access to affordable healthcare—we will remain stuck in a cycle of crisis response rather than long-term solutions.

Will supports a comprehensive public safety approach that pairs accountability with prevention, treatment, and system reform. That means investing in affordable healthcare, behavioral health services, and housing stability as core components of public safety—not afterthoughts.

When people have access to care, stable housing, and opportunity, communities are safer. Addressing affordability, healthcare access, and public safety together is not optional—it is essential.

Will Chen believes Washington can protect our environment and be fiscally responsible—without burdening working families or small businesses.

As a CPA and former finance professional, Will supports environmental and climate policies that are grounded in data, science, and measurable outcomes. That means investing in solutions that actually reduce emissions, improve environmental health, and deliver real benefits—rather than relying on policies that sound good but drive up costs without clear results.

Will will advocate for:

Climate and environmental policies guided by science and performance data
Smart investments that deliver measurable environmental outcomes
Accountability and transparency in how environmental funds are spent
Cost-effective solutions that protect families, workers, and local economies

Environmental stewardship and fiscal responsibility are not competing goals. When policy is driven by evidence and accountability, Washington can meet its climate goals while keeping the state affordable and economically strong.

Responsible Governance

Education & Workforce

Strong public schools and clear workforce pathways are essential to affordability, economic mobility, and community stability.

Will Chen understands firsthand how economic disruption affects families and workers. Early in his career, Will worked at the Kimberly-Clark facility in Everett before it closed in 2012 and experienced the devastating ripple effects that a large-scale site closure can have on employees, families, and the broader community. That experience helped shape his belief that education and workforce readiness must be central to how Washington prepares people for change.

Will’s own journey reinforces that belief. Through education, retraining, and perseverance, he built the skills needed to adapt, advance, and create opportunity. He believes every student deserves access to a high-quality public education and every worker deserves clear pathways to family-wage jobs.

That means strengthening public schools, supporting educators, and investing in career and technical education, apprenticeships, and job training programs that align with the real needs of Washington’s economy.

With a spouse who is a public school teacher and union member, Will understands the challenges facing educators and classrooms. He supports policies that respect educators as professionals, reduce unnecessary administrative burdens, and ensure schools have the resources they need to help students succeed.

Education does not end at graduation. Will supports lifelong learning and retraining opportunities that help workers adapt, recover, and move forward—so families are not left behind when industries change.

Investing in education and workforce readiness is not just an education issue—it is an economic, affordability, and public safety priority, and it is essential to Washington’s future.