CHIMACUM — State Rep. Steve Tharinger told middle school students that the state Legislature can be compared to junior high.

“It’s a full-time job, like going to school,” the Sequim Democrat told an eighth-grade social studies class at Chimacum Middle School last week.

“You do a lot of work in class, but you also do a lot of work in the hallway because it is important to walk around and talk to people.”

During his visit on Thursday, Tharinger — who also is in his last term as Clallam County commissioner — was absent from a special session of the state Legislature, which is attempting to reconcile next year’s budget.

“A lot of the committees I serve on don’t deal with the budget, so I don’t have to be there all the time,” he said.

“But I keep track of what is going on, and I’m there when I need to be.”

With Tharinger’s visit, the school scored a trifecta of legislative visits.

This fall, through the Legislature’s Back to School Program, it has hosted all three of those representing the 24th District, which covers Jefferson and Clallam counties, and a portion of Grays Harbor County.

Sen. Jim Hargrove, D-Hoquiam, spoke to a class in September and Rep. Kevin Van De Wege, D-Sequim, visited in November.

“I’m really proud of our teachers for putting this together,” said Principal Whitney Meissner of the three visits.

“It benefits the legislators who get the opportunity to interact with students in a real working school, and it gives the students the opportunity to have contact with officials and learn that they are just people doing their jobs.”

Meissner appreciated Tharinger asking students whether they had ever been to Olympia to observe a legislative session.

She said she hoped that some would follow up on that opportunity — which they did not know existed until Tharinger brought it up.

Like junior high, the Legislature has its own pecking order, Tharinger said.

Intimidation exists in the Legislature, but it is “not physical” and can be countered when people stand up for themselves.

“I don’t know if it’s ‘bullying,’ but people definitely use their position of power in an attempt to influence things,” Tharinger said.

“I’m in my first term, and there are a lot of people who have been there a while and tell me that what I want won’t work and there is some truth to that.

“But generally people are pretty good and want to do the right thing.

“It’s like when you are telling a friend what they are doing is wrong.

“If you tell them in a nice way, you will get better results.”

Tharinger talked about the mission to cut $5.8 billion from state expenditures, and how it can affect schools and other programs.

He said that the proposed one-half cent sales tax increase scheduled to face voters “might not be enough” in some people’s eyes, and said that his voluntary pay cut was to show support for state workers who faced the same cuts.

He wasn’t sure that the cuts would succeed.

“There is a good chance that the governor is going to be upset with us because I’m not sure we’ll be able to solve this problem by Christmas,” he said.

Students in Shannon Lowrie’s class had written questions on index cards, stood up to ask them in clear voices and prefaced each with “Representative Tharinger….”

After a break, Tharinger asked the class to call him “Steve,” something students did with varying degrees of comfort.

Throughout the class period, Tharinger expressed admiration for the quality of the questions and the depth of research the students conducted in preparing those questions.

When asked what Tharinger thought about online testing as opposed to standard paper exams, he said that he had heard it drained computer resources and “takes up the computer lab for testing when it can be used for instruction.

“There is too much testing, which takes away from the time you have to be creative and think about learning,” he said.

Tharinger did not run for reelection to his county commissioner post, saying he preferred to focus upon his legislative position.

When asked to compare the two jobs, Tharinger said the county position brings him closer to the people and their problems but that what he does in the Legislature can affect more people.

He said “the math is easier” on the three-person county commission.

“You only need to get one other person to agree with you in order to get something done,” he said.

In Olympia, with 97 other legislators, it is harder to achieve a majority.

He said that he isn’t looking for a federal position, saying “the closer you get to [Washington,]D.C., the farther away you are from the people.”

As a freshman legislator, Tharinger said he still has some of the excitement of being in the capitol, which could be compared to a ninth grader who still can’t believe his is in high school.

“When I first got there, I looked around and it felt like it was a movie or a reality show about government, but I told myself, ‘this is not a movie, you’re in this,’ ” he said.

“And it’s exciting.

“If the Legislature passes a bill that you sponsored, you get to go into the governor’s office.

“She signs the bill and gives you the pen.

“It’s really kind of cool.”

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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.