Renton Reporter Jan 21 2010, 11:11 AM

Joe Fain, local community volunteer and a staff member at the King County Council, is running for state Senate in the 47th District.

Fain said his campaign would focus on growing jobs and small business, controlling government spending, and improving public education.

Fain, 29, is chief of staff for King County Council member Pete von Reichbauer.

The 47th Legislative District includes part of east Renton, Kent and Auburn.

“We live in the region that pioneered aeronautics and the personal computing revolution. With strong leadership in Olympia and a renewed focus on economic growth and education, we can bring jobs back to South King County,” declared Fain. “The economic crisis has hurt everyone but raising taxes and cutting education funding makes this crisis worse.”

In 2007, Fain was involved in the creation of the King County Flood Control District, successfully advocating for funds to shore up levees along the Green River.

Fain has also used his position with King County government to advocate for transportation projects in South King County, particularly those that would improve traffic flow through key freight corridors in the Kent and Auburn Valley.

Born and raised in South King County, Fain earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Washington. He later attended night classes, earning degrees in business administration and law from Seattle University.

Fain was a sponsor of the 2008 ballot measure that made King County elected positions non-partisan.

Fain of Auburn has served on the boards of many organizations representing South King County. He was a swim coach in the Highline and Renton school districts and was recognized as Washington State Coach of the Year in 2002.

Fain lives in Auburn and and is engaged to Steffanie Moxon, a judicial extern at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent and a 2010 graduate of Seattle University School of Law.