Republican Rose Cook seeks District 16 seat held by Democrat Sara Gelser

CORVALLIS GAZETTE-TIMES, 2/18/2010 by Raju Woodward - Saying that she wants to help stabilize state funding of education, Rose Cook of Philomath filed her candidacy Tuesday for state representative in House District 16, which represents Corvallis, Philomath and much of Benton County. ∴ Cook, a Republican, is vying for the seat held since 2005 by Sara Gelser, a Corvallis Democrat. Gelser filed for re-election in December. ∴ Cook worked for the Philomath School District for 17 years, mostly as an administrative assistant to the principal of Philomath High School. She retired in October 1999. She has served on the Philomath School Board for the past seven years. ∴ “Every year, the same thing happens,” Cook said Wednesday. “There’s unstable funding. People complain about it, but nothing gets done. Education should be the highest priority, but it’s treated like one of the last.”

Creating more jobs and helping small businesses are other top priorities for Cook, whose husband Tom has owned and operated R&T Logging for 33 years.

“Small businesses are taking huge hits,” Cook said. “There’s so many rules, regulations and fees. We don’t need to be creating more red tape for them. We are becoming unfriendly to them.”

Cook said she isn’t impressed by Gelser’s voting record.

“She’s voted straight down her party line,” Cook said. “I don’t think that’s very responsible, and it isn’t representative of District 16.”

Cook also said she’s not worried about being a political newcomer.

“I’m going to tell people how I feel,” Cook said. “If people want someone who has been in politics, I am not their gal. If they want someone who has life experiences, I am their gal.”

Cook, 52, is a 1975 graduate of Toledo High School. In addition to serving as Philomath School Board chairwoman this year, she’s also on the Linn-Benton-Lincoln Education Service District budget committee.