I was disappointed to see the Reporter’s recent endorsement of Steve Litzow. While acknowledging Democrat Lisa Wellman’s strong qualifications, the Reporter chose Litzow primarily because they believe his seniority serves our district well. I disagree.
Litzow has failed to use his committee positions to break the legislative deadlock on McCleary and move education funding forward. While he campaigns as a moderate, pragmatic bipartisan senator, his record shows he is anything but: he has voted lock-step with the GOP party line 98 percent of the time. The Republican-controlled state Senate – including Litzow – is the main reason we still don’t have an answer on school funding.
Continued inaction on McCleary will jeopardize the most vulnerable members of our school system: kids who receive special education and supportive services. A judge in Connecticut ruled last week that, in the context of a similar educational funding crisis, the state should not spend money on the most severely disabled children.
The state of Texas was recently revealed to have denied services to thousands of children by imposing an arbitrary cap on the percentage of children eligible for special education in each district — all in the name of saving money. We may think that can’t happen here, but if the pressure is on, it could. That’s why we need a new voice in Olympia, someone who will fight for all of our kids.
We have a fabulous alternative in Lisa Wellman, who is an experienced business and civic leader and visionary and will better represent our district’s interests. Lisa started out as a teacher and has carried that concern for education throughout her career. She was my mentor at the UW Foster School of Business, and over the years I have seen her apply her talents for innovation and building consensus in many areas.
Watching her dive in and gain a breadth and depth of knowledge on education over the course of the campaign is not just impressive — it’s essential for fixing our problems. She has put together a comprehensive plan for addressing education without cuts.
Jenni Mechem
Mercer Island
