Small-business owner Ed Barton announced Thursday he will be challenging longtime incumbent Rosemary McAuliffe in the State Senate’s 1st District, representing the communities of Bothell, Brier, Mountlake Terrace, and Kirkland.

Barton, who lives in Bothell, pledged to use his experience as a Certified Public Accountant and small-business owner to ensure taxpayer money is spent wisely.

“Cutting government waste and ensuring that taxpayers are getting good value on their dollar is essential to improving our schools, roads and other public programs,” Barton said in his announcement. “We deserve a more effective, efficient and accountable state government. We need to control government spending before we ask taxpayers for more of their hard-earned money.”

Barton said that education will be his top priority. “Olympia needs to put kids first in our state budget. For too many years we’ve failed to adequately fund our local schools,” he said.

Barton also said he would work on transportation and environmental issues.

Barton was just elected to the Snohomish County Charter Review Commission and ran for the State House in 2014. Previously Barton served on the Mill Creek Planning Commission, volunteered at Fernwood Elementary, and served as a Captain in the National Guard.