West Seattle resident and 7th Congressional District candidate Bill Hoffman threw a meet and greet at his campaign headquarters, 315 5th Avenue S., Sunday, March 21. Friends, family, and potential supporters gathered to hear him define the direction he would take the District and to excoriate incumbent Congressman Jim McDermott who has held the position Hoffman seeks since 1989. The primary is Aug. 17.

“We are all here I think because one way or another we voted for change in 2008 and still want change in this district in 2010,” said Hoffman in a speech there. “You know what I’m talking about. I’m talking about Jim McDermott. He has not done a particularly good job serving his constituents. When you compare him to Jackson, Magnuson and others, he just doesn’t compare. I lived in L.A. and Representative Waxman really cares about the people he serves. It’s like night and day. McDermott is a laughing stock in Washington, D.C.”

Hoffman sited McDermott’s controversial visit to Iraq in 2002 that earned him the nickname “Baghdad Jim,” and the successful lawsuit against him for hundreds of thousands of dollars by Rep. John Boehner for a tape recording McDermott was accused of leaking to the press.

“I’ve made a number of very concrete proposals, and some could help solve pressing environmental issues,” Hoffman continued. “I have a strong economics background, and I strongly feel our present (Federal) tax system is frankly, corrupt. We have too many loopholes. This is a very regressive system. I propose a three- tiered flat tax. The first $35,000 of income is not taxed. $35,000 to $300,000 is taxed 10-percent. Above that the tax would be approximately 18 percent. This will save taxpayers millions. It allows small businesses to plan more effectively. And, again, no loopholes. You know what you’re going to pay.”

“We were in first grade together at Jefferson Elementary School, now Jefferson Square, and we stayed in touch throughout the years including college,” said John Carlson, the radio talk show host on KOMO 1000 and KVI 570. In 2000 Carlson ran for governor as a Republican against incumbent Gary Locke. Locke was reelected.

Carlson attended the function to support Hoffman who he acknowledges is more liberal than he is.

“I tried to bring him over to my way of politics and eventually realized I wasn’t going to have any more success with him than he was going to have with me,” Carlson admitted with a smile.

Carlson added, “Why am I supporting him? He’s a great guy. A lot of integrity. I think a breath of fresh air is what the 7th District needs right now.”

Carlson recalls an example of his first grade pal’s strong character. “He actually had a speech impediment and had speech lessons and worked through it,” Carlson said. “Everyone liked Billy.”

Also check out our profile on Bill Hoffman:

http://www.westseattleherald.com/2009/11/20/news/west-seattles-bill-hof…