J   N WYSS

Jon’s 20 years of private and government sector experience in business, finance, energy, healthcare, trade, transportation, agriculture, tourism, taxes, property rights and land use management.

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Jon knows that our regional transportation system is critical to the the moving of agriculture crops, to those coming for recreational opportunities and tourism, the need for proper infrastructure that will properly serve our regional health care system and to protect access to our rail system.
 
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Jon has worked for over 10 years as a representative of the entire agriculture industry on three national and two state boards protecting farmers from excessive buffers, over regulation, securing access to legal labor, working to reform our nations immigration laws, protecting workers, and addressing wage and hour issues.  Wyss brings actual experience with water rights, water storage, and water law while being conscious of the needs for water conservation.
 
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Jon has worked with Republicans and Democrats at the local, state and federal level writing and passing successful legislation that has improved the lives of citizens of the State of Washington, protected property rights, and restored economic investment in our local communities.

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Jon has knowledge of the Planning Enabling Act, Growth Management Act, Shorelines Master Program, Critical Areas Ordinance and Voluntary Stewardship Program. Wyss used his knowledge of these Acts and worked collaboratively with various groups within agriculture, business, individual citizens, and environmental communities to help re-write the Okanogan County Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Code.  He also was appointed by the Douglas County Commissioners to a committee to help re-write four limited amendments to the Douglas County Shorelines Master Plan.

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Jon has worked tirelessly the last two years to help Chelan, Douglas, Okanogan, Ferry, Stevens and Pend Oreille County along with the Colville Tribes to recover from the 2014 and 2015 massive wildfires as Chairman of the Long Term Recovery group that is now the new national model for FEMA.

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Jon worked with State Legislative leaders in the Senate, House and Governors office as Chairman of the Long Term Recovery Groups  in 2015 to secure critical funding for the towns of Pateros, Brewster, and Twisp after the devastating wildfires.  Wyss also worked to secure funding for the 911 systems upgrade to assist our first responders. Wyss worked again in 2016 after the 2015 wildfires with key Senate Leaders and Senator Parlette to secure additional funding for the Pateros Water System upgrade, and additional funding for the town of Twisp.

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Jon worked very closely with our federal delegation and members from across the country on recovery efforts after our back-to-back fires.  Wyss worked with over 50 different organizations and various coalitions to secure funding for conservation programs, emergency watershed, payments in lieu of taxes, Section 179 Small Business Exspensing, and made permanent the tax deduction for state and local sales taxes.

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Jon has a keen understanding of the Endangered Species Act and its impacts on land use decisions, property rights, salmon recovery, agriculture, and the our cattle ranchers.  Wyss has worked within the scope of the endangered species act in his private sector experience with Sage Grouse Habitat, Salmon Recovery, Wolves, Canadian Lynx, and Grizzly Bears over the last five years.

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Jon worked with Representative Joel Kretz to craft and pass House Bill 2093 in response to the 2014 Carlton Complex Fires.  Key provisions of the bill allowed locals to access state land to help put out fire without being held liable by the state, required the Department of Natural Resources to coordinate and share a list of locals who are qualified to fight fires and enter into agreements with them to use locals first during a fire, and required the Commissioner of Public Lands to appoint both a fire liaison who will represent landowners and the public during a fire and a Fire Advisory Committee to advise the commissioner on fire activities.

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Jon’s experience as Chief Deputy Assessor for Spokane County gave him key knowledge on how to manage government budgets, levy’s, bonds, and taxes that impact the taxpayers. 

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Jon understands that we must have a sustainable environment to secure a future for our children.  We must find a way to incentivize through voluntary measures business to reduce their carbon footprint. Wyss’s private sector experience on this issue has prepared him to be a leader on this issue.

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Jon understands by not allowing fires to burn as they historically have or thinning out all the trees that have grown up, fuel loads have increased, timber values have been lowered, and increased the chance for massive wildfires.  The current practice of fire borrowing has also led to a significant amount of challenges to managing the forest.  Rather than performing the necessary treatments to keep fires smaller and more manageable, the funds are spent on fighting the fires.  Jon understands that we don’t want to promote unabated logging and landscape alterations. Common ground can be found on these issues.  A steady, manageable, and proper plan for treatment across the full landscape will lead to a healthy forest and less wildfire.

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Jon is a proven and effective leader who has strong bi-partisan relationships with not only our state legislators, but with our federal delegation. Having a relationship with both is very important.  Jon has worked at both the federal and state level on issues from water, transportation, immigration, taxes, housing, healthcare and others for a number of years. Jon Wyss has the confidence and trust of our federal and state elected leaders.