Nearly 100 members of the 36th District gathered in the Phinney Ridge Community Association community hall March 14 for a town hall meeting with their state legislators.

Democrats Reuven Carlyle and Mary Lou Dickerson discussed their progress thus far in the legislative session and fielded questions from the audience. As expected, the main topic on both sides was how to continue to press progressive issues while working with an $8.5 million state deficit.

Many community members implored the legislators to not let the deficit affect funding for education and public health.

Carlyle said he understands the need to keep funding for public health and to reform the state’s healthcare system, but there is a need to see where the federal government is going before making large structural changes.

“If we fixed healthcare, we would have so much money freed up,” he said. “That’s what’s sucking us dry.”

Two women brought up the need for a graduated income tax, “so we are not dependent on the lowest income people to keep buying things they don’t need to keep the government running," which garnered hoots and applause.

“Welcome to the thundering 36th,” Carlyle quipped.

The meeting was extended to last two hours to accommodate everyone who wanted to ask a question, but a scheduled salsa class forced the town hall meeting into a children’s classroom.

Policy discussions continued with about 50 people crowded amidst finger paintings, little chairs and a giant, colorful dragon.

The relatively tame meeting’s most heated moment came in this innocent setting when Carlyle passionately decried transit practices in King County that he said were unfair.

Metro is cutting 20 percent of its budget across the board, city and suburbs, he said. But because of an agreement with the county, when that money comes back, Seattle will only get 20 percent of it, he said.

In closing, both legislators let the members of the 36th District know that they hold a lot of power in the state.

Carlyle said there are more registered voters in the 36th than in any other district, and Dickerson said they could be the most computer-savvy group in the state, which can help them organize and propagate their views.