Our Platform for Washington County, Tenn.

The Washington County Democratic Party (WCDP) holds firmly to the motto, e pluribus unum – out of many, one. We commit to work together to secure freedom and opportunity for everyone in Washington County. All people deserve fair treatment from their government.

Diversity is to be celebrated with all people included in a community’s vision. Power belongs to the many, not the few. This embodies the true meaning of “We the People.” The times we live in demand our commitment to community values and relationships.

Together, we will make our beloved Northeast Tennessee a better place to live.

WCDP believes in:

Affordable, accessible, and quality healthcare

• Defending reproductive rights
• Breaking medical monopolies and expanding healthcare options
• Confronting the regional drug addiction epidemic

Quality public education

• Supporting equitable pay and benefits for public education professionals
• Establishing an equitable investment strategy for Washington County’s public schools
• Defeating proposed state voucher programs and legislation that applies tax dollars to private schools
• Equalizing funding to create and expand opportunities for all students in all career paths (e.g., public post-secondary schools, including trade schools and institutions of higher education)
• Supporting affordable preschool, daycare, and afterschool care for all families

Economic fairness and opportunity

• Ensuring a living wage
• Prioritizing affordable housing
• Supporting comprehensive veterans’ services
• Cultivating existing and future local businesses
• Supporting fair labor practice

Justice, equality, and human rights

• Providing a holistic community response to the county’s homelessness crisis
• Addressing gun violence through sensible laws and responsible ownership
• Restoring, maintaining, and strengthening all citizens’ voting rights and access
• Encouraging sensible and humane reforms in local law enforcement, courts, corrections, and probation/parole
• Opposing any form of discrimination against marginalized, vulnerable, and minority communities

Environmental responsibility and sustainability

• Broadening the type of materials accepted through city/county recycling programs
• Demanding clean air, water, and land
• Encouraging both public and private investments in sustainable environmental practices and green energy sources
• Promoting current and evolving science related to human-caused climate change to educate and drive public policy

Infrastructure innovations

• Promoting a responsible and proactive growth strategy with adapted infrastructure
• Ensuring timely maintenance and improvement of existing infrastructure
• Increasing mode, access, and availability of public transportation locally and regionally
• Increasing access to technological advances for all county residents, including universal and affordable broadband