REDMOND, OR -- A day after State Representative Gene Whisnant announced he would retire at the end of this term, a Redmond realtor says he’s running for the District 53 seat. Jack Zika is seeking the Republican nomination in May, saying education, affordable housing and the need for fiscal responsibility are his top priorities.
Zika is a 40-year-old Redmond resident currently serving on the city’s Planning Commission and Neighborhood Revitalization Committee. He’s also on the Oregon Association of Realtors Government Affairs Committee. In a statement, Zika said Tuesday, "Central Oregon is a great place to put down roots and raise a family. However, I've grown increasingly frustrated with a state government that seems oblivious to our needs in Central Oregon." He adds, "I'm running for state representative to be an advocate for fully funding our schools, reining in runaway government spending and finally restoring some common sense to our state's land use laws."
