August Primaries: We Pushed Through With 66% of Votes!
The Primaries have just concluded and I first wanted to give a big thank you to all the constituents that came out and used your voice in this election. You were heard and thanks to all of you we received 66% of the total votes. The 21st LD is not easily swayed by the opposition, especially when it comes to making the right decisions. Even with their strong efforts, we have pushed through. Everything helps during these times. Every time someone donated to our campaign; helped us doorbell; took one of our signs or forwarded our website to a friend, it moved our agenda along.
As Chair of the Democratic Caucus this past session, I know that I along with my seat mates are more than willing to put in the long hours, gain understanding from differing perspectives, and fight for the values being threatened every day. Your voice was heard, and it is our duty to have it echoed in Olympia. We haven’t backed down from any fight, even the smallest victory is progress towards the future we envision. And we couldn’t have done it without all the lovely people of the 21st.
Thank you for all your encouragement and continued support. We are not at the end of the road yet. We’ve done great work, but we have to get to the finish line. With your support we can get there. Our opponents will continue to spread there message, we must do the same. I will continue to need your help so that we can persist in fighting for the values that matter so much to all of us. Together we will keep the 21st Blue!
Thank you,
Lillian Ortiz-Self
The Times recommends: Lillian Ortiz-Self for House District 21, position 2!
Ortiz-Self is well positioned to move the needle, as a school counselor who also chairs the state House of Representatives’ majority caucus.
Ortiz-Self is well positioned to move the needle, as a school counselor who also chairs the state House of Representatives’ majority caucus.
By: The Seattle Times editorial board
State Rep. Lillian Ortiz-Self has ably represented the 21st Legislative District since 2014 and deserves election to a fifth full term. The Mukilteo Democrat is well attuned to the amount of work involved in making Washington’s educational system safe and equitable for students regardless of geography.
She has established herself as an effective advocate for increasing resources for public schools, a perpetual need within a Legislature perennially distracted by other demands.
The results are in…we won!
The results are in…we won!
Dear friends,
Thanks to supporters like YOU, our campaign won big on Tuesday. I’m so humbled and honored to be re-elected to serve such a wonderful district.
I want everyone to know that I have heard your message. Whether I was at the Senior Center or on college campuses, speaking with students or parents, hearing stories from constituents that are getting their GED or those applying for law school, our first responders to our most vulnerable; the message repeated itself.
I heard your desire to be able to take care of yourself, achieve your fullest potential, and pay your fair share. I heard a fear towards the ugliness and intolerance that has risen in the last two years, and a hope for something better. And I heard compassion for our most vulnerable that made me so proud to represent this community.
This honor is not something I take lightly, and there is much to do. With your help, I am eager to continue tackling all of the issues ahead. I’m deeply grateful for all of the ways you stepped up with your support throughout our campaign. You’ve made our big win possible.
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for placing your faith in me once more. Let’s get to work!
With infinite gratitude,
Lillian
Tough Times
These are tough times.
These are tough times.
I could have never imagined that I would have ended my last session pushing for emergency funding to address a pandemic that stopped us in our tracks. I never imagined spending my days on Zoom briefings for labor, education, foster children, migrant workers, our incarcerated,
our college students, our tribes, to name a few. I never imagined that my work as a School Counselor would take me from face to face interactions with children and parents to phone calls and video conferencing, trying to ensure our families are linked to the right resources. Yet, this is where I find myself and more importantly this is OUR new reality.
While this crisis is daunting, we find ourselves in a moment that requires even more vision, creativity, and resiliency from ourselves, especially our community leaders, to imagine an even better tomorrow.
I am continuously touched by the kindness of neighbors, of advocates still working for those who are being left behind, and of people who go out of their way to share their resources with others. But we know there is another side as well. During a crisis, social disparities are exasperated even more. A spotlight is shown upon what we have already known to be true, there are gaps in services that leave many behind. There are workers that are underappreciated and underpaid that are essential to keeping our society economically sound. There are communities in our population that need support and protection even and especially during a crisis. And the obvious: our public health care system is underfunded.
These are the same reasons I ran for office in 2014 and these reasons are even more important now more than ever and it’s why I am seeking re-election. These are the issues that keep me up at night, that motivate me to continue to work two jobs (three if you count campaigning), bring me to tears when I hear the stories and propels me to action.
If you believe we can do better by providing equitable access, and opportunity for all residents of our great state, so that our economy and services work for all, then please join me.
Three ways to help…..
1) Please join those that have endorsed me.
2) Ask your friends to endorse me and like my Facebook page.
3) Consider donating to my campaign (any amount helps) https://electlillian.com/donate/
Thank you so much for making the 21st District a great place to live.
The Times recommends: Lillian Ortiz-Self for Legislative District 21, House Position 2… Again!
The Seattle Times recommends Ortiz-Self again.
Snohomish County voters should re-elect the Mukilteo Democrat to another term representing the 21st Legislative District.
By: The Seattle Times Editorial Board
State Rep. Lillian Ortiz-Self has firsthand experience addressing the needs of public-school students, particularly when it comes to their mental health. Snohomish County voters should re-elect the Mukilteo Democrat to another term representing the 21st Legislative District.
As a counselor for Everett Public Schools, Ortiz-Self’s insights from the ground can aid the Legislature as it continues to implement a new system of paying for schools.
Ortiz-Self returns from assisting in Puerto Rico
Ortiz-Self Returns from assisting in Puerto Rico.
Published September 5, 2018 – Mukilteo Beacon
By Brandon Gustafson
With Puerto Rico still recovering from damage caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria between August and October of last year, Lillian Ortiz-Self traveled to her parents’ homeland in August to see the damage first hand, and help however she could.
Ortiz-Self, a state representative for the 21st Legislative District, was a guest speaker at the 21st Legislative District Democrats’ Aug. 29 meeting at Mukilteo City Hall.
She was in Puerto Rico from Aug. 2-21, assisting with repairs caused by Hurricane Irma, which slammed the island between Aug. 30– Sept. 13, 2017, and Hurricane Maria, which wreaked havoc just a few days later and lasted from Sept. 16-Oct. 2, 2017.
A recent report showed roughly 3,000 people died as a result of the hurricanes, and it is estimated there was more than $150 billion in damages.
“I wanted to go and visit my dad, and I wanted to help the island and do what I could,” she said.
She and much of her family assisted various humanitarian groups on the island by helping build roofs, dig ditches, and put up walls.
Click here to read the full article.
The Times recommends: Lillian Ortiz-Self for 21st Legislative District, House Position 2.
Seattle Times recommend Ortiz-Self.
Originally published July 1, 2016 at 4:39 pm Updated July 1, 2016 at 5:34 pm
Ortiz-Self understands that education is a system that starts well before K-12. She supports a greater investment in early learning, as well as supporting families so they can better help their children.
By Seattle Times Editorial Board
The Seattle Times
THE TIMES RECOMMENDS:
Lillian Ortiz-Self
21st Legislative District, House Position No. 2.
Strengths: Committed to helping solve the state’s underfunding of basic education; understands issues of equity
Lillian Ortiz-Self, a school counselor and vice chair of the House Education Committee, is committed to helping solve the state’s chronic and unconstitutional underfunding of basic education. She is well-versed in the challenges and possible solutions. …”
She also understands that education is a system that starts well before K-12. Supports a greater investment in early learning, as well as supporting families so they can better care for their children.
She faces her 2014 opponent again, Republican Jeff Scherrer, whose limited knowledge of the challenges facing the Legislature stands in stark contrast.
Challenger Mohammed Riaz Khan is a Boeing engineer and president of a group planning to build the Islamic Center of Mukilteo. Khan, an independent, is organizing a number of interfaith conversations in Snohomish County. He is frustrated with the lack of progress on education and transportation but offers few specific ideas.
The fourth candidate is Bruce Guthrie, a Libertarian. By Friday, he still had not filed required paperwork with the Public Disclosure Commission.
INCUMBENT state Rep. Lillian Ortiz-Self is the clear choice in the race for the 21st Legislative District race for House Position No. 2.
The Mukilteo Democrat, a school counselor and vice chair of the House Education Committee, is committed to helping solve the state’s chronic and unconstitutional underfunding of basic education. She is well-versed in the challenges and possible solutions.
And though she is a member of the Washington Education Association, which opposes statewide bargaining for teacher contracts, she says she is open to the concept as part of a larger solution for the state, unburdening local school districts from helping pay for basic education. That show of independence is a shift from her statements two years ago.
Weighing particularly on her mind are issues of equity for students across income levels in communities throughout the state. Her experience as a counselor gives her the perspective of how the teacher shortage and the lack of other services can hurt at-risk kids.
She also understands that education is a system that starts well before K-12. Supports a greater investment in early learning, as well as supporting families so they can better care for their children.
She faces her 2014 opponent again, Republican Jeff Scherrer, whose limited knowledge of the challenges facing the Legislature stands in stark contrast.
Challenger Mohammed Riaz Khan is a Boeing engineer and president of a group planning to build the Islamic Center of Mukilteo. Khan, an independent, is organizing a number of interfaith conversations in Snohomish County. He is frustrated with the lack of progress on education and transportation but offers few specific ideas.
The fourth candidate is Bruce Guthrie, a Libertarian. By Friday, he still had not filed required paperwork with the Public Disclosure Commission.
Early Learning Action Alliance Awards Rep. Ortiz-Self With Early Learning Emerging Leader Award
Lillian Ortiz-Self is awarded Early Learning Emerging Leader Award.
Letter from Jennifer Jennings-Shaffer:
Dear Representative Ortiz-Self,
On behalf of the Early Learning Action Alliance (ELAA), I am thrilled to announce that you have been selected to receive an Early Learning Emerging Leader Award for your outstanding leadership in early learning! Your commitment to advancing policies and funding early learning over the past two years has been crucial for Washington’s children and families.
ELAA is a broad coalition of organizations representing a diverse array of Washington nonprofits, professional associations, and businesses. We are united by the belief that all children in Washington State deserve to have the opportunities and support they need in their first five years of life to be prepared for school and a bright future. ELAA presents awards to selected legislators every two years to highlight the importance of legislative leadership. As an Early Learning Emerging Leader Award recipient, you are a rising advocate for expanding early learning opportunities for children.
Early Learning Emerging Leader Awards acknowledge achievements over the past two years of policymakers who support investments that are critical to closing the school readiness gap. Our work is far from done. We recognize legislative champions, such as yourself, with the hope that you will continue to grow your leadership on behalf of young children.
Thank you for all that you do for children and families in our state!
Sincerely,
Jennifer Jennings-Shaffer
Early Learning Policy Director
Children’s Alliance
McCleary plaintiffs spurn state plan; lawmakers want fines lifted
With all the legal arguments filed, it’s only a matter of time before the state Supreme Court weighs in on the merit of lawmakers’ efforts to adequately fund Washington’s public school system.
By Jerry Cornfield
Herald Writer
Published: Sunday, June 26, 2016, 12:01 a.m.
OLYMPIA — With all the legal arguments filed, it’s only a matter of time before the state Supreme Court weighs in on the merit of lawmakers’ efforts to adequately fund Washington’s public school system.
And it may not be a long wait.
Last August, just two weeks after attorneys for the state and plaintiffs in the McCleary case filed briefs on the state’s progress, justices slapped lawmakers with a $100,000-a-day fine for their failure to deliver what the court had demanded for two years — a plan for getting the job done.
This year, lawmakers passed a law they say provides the court with its requested blueprint. Their lawyers are now asking justices to end the fine and erase their contempt order against the state.
Those who sued contend the plan isn’t really a plan and want tougher sanctions imposed, even suggesting justices consider steps to prevent schools from opening this fall or next year.
Rep. Lillian Ortiz-Self, D-Mukilteo, expects to hear something soon
“They are very familiar with this case,” she said “I would imagine it wouldn’t take any longer than it took them last time.”
Ortiz-Self, who is vice-chairwoman of the House Education Committee, said she’d welcome the court maintaining a firm stance.
“I’m totally okay with them continuing to apply pressure,” she said. “We need to get this done. The more pressure we get from the Supreme Court, the more people will stay at the table.”
But there are Republican and Democratic lawmakers who think the court has exceeded its authority. They are unfazed by the contempt order and mounting fine. Justices wanted money to pay the fine set aside in a separate account but lawmakers didn’t take that step.
“I think the court has so overstepped their bounds,” said Rep. Matt Manweller, R-Ellensburg. “It is not their place to do some of the things they are doing.”
Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623; jcornfield@heraldnet.com.
Introductory statements from three candidates in 21st Legislative District
21st Legislative District Introductory Statements.
Published: Monday, June 20, 2016, 12:12 p.m.
Incumbent 21st District State Rep. Lillian Ortiz-Self and opponents Bruce Guthrie and Mohammed Riaz Khan recently sent statements introducing themselves to voters. Challenger Jeff Scherrer has not responded to requests for an introductory statement.
Democrat Ortiz-Self, Republican Scherrer, Libertarian Guthrie, and independent candidate Kahn will run on the Aug. 2 primary ballot, with the two leaders in the primary advancing to the November general-election ballot, regardless of party.
The 21st Legislative District includes most of Edmonds, unincorporated areas north of Edmonds and Lynnwood and northeast of Lynnwood, all of Mukilteo and part of south Everett.
Here are statements from the four candidates in the order their names will appear on the primary ballot and in the voters’ pamphlet:
Mohammed Riaz Khan (States No Party Preference) —
Khan is highly involved in community leadership. He’s a son and grandson of a scientist, raised to respect public service and public interest.
I have a record of uniting people to get results and building bridges to bring people together.
Khan works as an engineer for the Boeing Company, where his projects have included the U.S. Air Force Tanker.
As a parent of three and a member of Mukilteo School District’s budget committee, I have been a strong supporter of education and safety. My priorities are to make sure that our schools are fully funded, including child-welfare reform.
Bruce Guthrie (Prefers Libertarian Party) —
Bruce Guthrie is a father of three and a long-time resident of Washington. He is a substitute High School math and science teacher with over 1,000 hours of classroom experience in this state. Bruce got his Masters in Teaching at Seattle U. after teaching for eight years at WWU. There, he taught Operations Management, Management Strategy and Organization Behavior. He has an MBA from Northwestern U. and an AB from Cornell U. Bruce has worked as a Director of Marketing and a factory Statistical Quality Manager. Bruce’s political views are socially liberal and he is an opponent of tax increases.
Jeff Scherrer (Prefers Republican Party) —
No response to requests for introductory statement.
Lillian Ortiz-Self (Prefers Democratic Party) —
I have three children who mean everything to me.
I graduated from Drake University with master’s degrees in public administration I and counseling. Education has changed my life. I am currently a school counselor; I’ve devoted my career to children and families, whether running a mental health center, working as the education advisor for the Dept. of Children and Family Services, providing training nationwide on community collaborations and family advocacy or starting a club in school to engage students.
I love working for my community. I take seriously the obligation to leave this place better for my children and their children.Incumbent 21st District State Rep. Lillian Ortiz-Self and opponents Bruce Guthrie andMohammed Riaz Khan recently sent statements introducing themselves to voters. Challenger Jeff Scherrer has not responded to requests for an introductory statement.
Democrat Ortiz-Self, Republican Scherrer, Libertarian Guthrie, and independent candidate Kahn will run on the Aug. 2 primary ballot, with the two leaders in the primary advancing to the November general-election ballot, regardless of party.
The 21st Legislative District includes most of Edmonds, unincorporated areas north of Edmonds and Lynnwood and northeast of Lynnwood, all of Mukilteo and part of south Everett.
Here are statements from the four candidates in the order their names will appear on the primary ballot and in the voters’ pamphlet:
Mohammed Riaz Khan (States No Party Preference) —
Khan is highly involved in community leadership. He’s a son and grandson of a scientist, raised to respect public service and public interest.
I have a record of uniting people to get results and building bridges to bring people together.
Khan works as an engineer for the Boeing Company, where his projects have included the U.S. Air Force Tanker.
As a parent of three and a member of Mukilteo School District’s budget committee, I have been a strong supporter of education and safety. My priorities are to make sure that our schools are fully funded, including child-welfare reform.
Bruce Guthrie (Prefers Libertarian Party) —
Bruce Guthrie is a father of three and a long-time resident of Washington. He is a substitute High School math and science teacher with over 1,000 hours of classroom experience in this state. Bruce got his Masters in Teaching at Seattle U. after teaching for eight years at WWU. There, he taught Operations Management, Management Strategy and Organization Behavior. He has an MBA from Northwestern U. and an AB from Cornell U. Bruce has worked as a Director of Marketing and a factory Statistical Quality Manager. Bruce’s political views are socially liberal and he is an opponent of tax increases.
Jeff Scherrer (Prefers Republican Party) —
No response to requests for introductory statement.
Lillian Ortiz-Self (Prefers Democratic Party) —
I have three children who mean everything to me.
I graduated from Drake University with master’s degrees in public administration and counseling. Education has changed my life. I am currently a school counselor; I’ve devoted my career to children and families, whether running a mental health center, working as the education advisor for the Dept. of Children and Family Services, providing training nationwide on community collaborations and family advocacy or starting a club in school to engage students.
I love working for my community. I take seriously the obligation to leave this place better for my children and their children.
© 2016 The Daily Herald Co., Everett, WA
http://archive.heraldnet.com/article/20160620/BLOG5207/160629940
Ortiz-Self lists highlights of her first legislative session
Ortiz-Self lists highlights of her first legislative session.
By Evan Smith, Herald Writer
Democratic State Rep. Lillian Ortiz-Self says that highlights of her first session in the legislature included increased support for children’s mental health, people with disabilities and transportation, along with passing the “Dream Act and the student-success bill.
She said last week that putting money into children’s mental health was a highlight for her as a school counselor.
“As a mental health therapist and someone who strongly believes in a comprehensive approach to meeting the needs of children, seeing dollars targeted towards wrap around services for children was definitely rewarding and a step in the right direction,” Ortiz-Self said.
“Being able to provide for 5,000 more people with disabilities is also a step in the right direction although when you have a list of 14,000 you are keenly aware that there is still more work to be done,” she added.
Ortiz-Self also said that she was glad when the House passed the supplemental transportation budget.
“We desperately needed to fulfill the commitments we started,” she said.
Ortiz-Self said that the passage of the dream act was one of the legislature’s most important accomplishments. The act allows high school graduates who lack documented status to compete for college scholarships.
“I have been telling students for years to hang in there. I tried to keep their dreams a live. It was very emotional when it passed because I couldn’t help but see the faces of so many of my students and remember their passionate pleas for opportunity. I had fought for years on the outside advocating for this bill and to be there and take the final vote meant so much to me.”
She said that a personal highlight was the first bill she had introduced to pass the legislature “the” Student Success Bill.” Ortiz-Self noted that it passed on the last day a bill could be passed out of the senate.
“This bill will give us the data to strategically target areas that need interventions the most,” she said. “I want to assure that as we fully fund education we make sure that we address the needs of students who are facing multiple barriers to succeeding academically. I want to make sure we take a comprehensive approach.”
She said that she loved the compassion her caucus demonstrated when advocating for second chances in dealing with children in foster care and in the juvenile justice system.
“Giving up on our children is never an option,” she said.
Ortiz-Self also said that she was glad she had built collaborative partnerships with many members before she joined the legislature by appointment in January.
She said that she was fortunate to join committees with such strong leaders such as Joe Fitzgibbons of the environment committee, Ruth Kagi of the committee on early learning and human services, and Judi Clibborn of the transportation committee.
Ortiz-Self said that work left to be done includes passing the cost-of-living pay increases for teachers, lowering class sizes so that students get the attention they deserve, also passing the capitol budget that would not only improve Washington’s infrastructure but also bring in living wage jobs.
She said that the disappointments reminded her of the importance of patience, tenacity and resiliency.
Ortiz-Self won appointment to the State House of Representatives in January to replace Marko Liias, who was appointed to the State Senate.
Both represent the 21st Legislative District including most of Edmonds, unincorporated areas north of Edmonds and Lynnwood and northeast of Lynnwood, all of Mukilteo and part of south Everett.
© 2016 The Daily Herald Co., Everett, WA
Ortiz-Self celebrates governor’s signing of ‘dream act’
Ortiz-Self celebrates governor’s signing of ‘dream act’.
By Evan Smith, Herald Writer
Democratic State Rep. Lillian Ortiz-Self celebrated Gov. Jay Inslee’s signing the Dream Act into law in late February.
“Washington has taken important steps over the past decade to grow our own well-trained, well-educated workforce and satisfy the demands of the business community,” Ortiz-Self said after the bill became law. “The Dream Act is another strategic move in this endeavor toward prosperity.”
The bill lets children who graduate from Washington high schools pay in-state tuition at Washington colleges and universities despite undocumented status.
“The enactment of the Dream Act does not make promises or guarantees, and it certainly does not grant anybody special rights or opportunities,” said Ortiz-Self, who won appointment to the Legislature in January. “These students, who call Washington home and whose undocumented immigration status is due to no fault of their own, will have to compete for financial aid just like everyone else.”
“The chance to get on a pathway to higher education will motivate all the students in our K-12 system—who aspire to give back to their families and their communities—to work hard and excel academically. All the money, time and effort the state has invested in their education will pay off in the form of a skilled workforce.”
“This law gives all Washington students the chance to fulfill their dreams of becoming the teachers, nurses, doctors and engineers our state needs to continue making strides toward full economic recovery.”
Ortiz-Self represents the 21st* Legislative District, including most of Edmonds, unincorporated areas north of Edmonds and Lynnwood, unincorporated areas northeast of Lynnwood, all of Mukilteo and part of south Everett.
* Correction, March 22, 2014: The original version of this article listed the wrong number for Ortiz-Self’s legislative district.
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20140319/BLOG5207/140319055
Passing the Education Opportunity Gap
K-12 opportunity gap needs state funding.
K-12 ‘OPPORTUNITY GAP’ BILL NEEDS STATE FUNDING
The Legislature has a constitutional obligation to educate ‘all children residing within its borders’
These include immigrants and students of color who don’t have equal opportunities or success
HB 1541 takes good step by revising school disciplinary policies, but it needs funding….
Over the past couple of years, news coverage of public schools has focused on the state Supreme Court’s insistence that the Legislature meet its constitutional obligation to fully fund basic education.
But there is another problem in our schools that is every bit as important, and that is the persistent “opportunity gap” that leaves far too many immigrant students and students of color in schools where the deck is stacked against their success. The factors include being in schools with the least experienced teachers, being subject to harsher discipline, facing barriers of culture and language that inhibit both academic progress and parent involvement, and being taught curriculum that doesn’t include students’ history or acknowledge their cultural context.
The resulting gap in academic success has persisted for decades. In our state, there is even some statistical evidence that the gap has widened in the past few years.
The federal No Child Left Behind Act was supposed to help by spotlighting the data about disparate achievement levels and holding schools accountable for improvement, but it hasn’t turned the tide. And state and local attempts to close the gap have been piecemeal, sporadic, and underfunded. Some districts have made real progress, but they are still the exception.
In 2009, our Legislature responded to this urgent problem by doing the one thing it does so well: It created a committee to study the problem and make recommendations.
The Educational Opportunity Gap Oversight and Accountability Committee , which includes educators, advocates and legislators, dug into its work and found, among other things, that kids of color are more likely to be suspended or expelled for up to a full academic year for “failure to comply” offenses that do not threaten the health or safety of others. These can include very minor infractions.
Being out of school for extended periods does not, needless to say, make students more successful. Instead it increases their chances for dropping out and getting into more trouble.
In the regular legislative session that ended Thursday night, Reps. Sharon Tomiko Santos (D-Seattle) and Lillian Ortiz-Self, (D-Mukilteo), who co-chairs the oversight committee, were finally able to persuade the Senate to pass 4SHB 1541, which attempts to put a dent in the opportunity gap by reforming school discipline polices. The goal is to reduce the amount of time students are suspended or expelled and to ensure that they have access to educational services even when they are not in school.
The bill calls on schools to beef up cultural competence and English language learning training for teachers, expand student services and parent engagement, gather more data about which groups of students are most at risk for school failure, and hire more educators of color.
This bill has been introduced every year for the past five legislative sessions, but hasn’t passed because of disagreement about its discipline provisions. This year, that disagreement finally faded away.
But there’s a catch: A Senate amendment makes the work of implementing several of the bill’s provisions subject to appropriations in the budget.
When the Legislature finally passes a budget in special session, we will find out whether there is really a $3.1 million commitment to living up to the constitutional mandate to educate “all children residing within its borders.”
Liias, Ortiz-Self appointed in 21st District
By Jerry Cornfield, Herald Writer
EVERETT – As expected, Snohomish County Council members didn’t take long Tuesday to appoint Democratic Rep. Marko Liias to replace Paull Shin in the state Senate.
But they deliberated a while before deciding to send Lillian Ortiz-Self to Olympia to take Liias’ seat in the House.
Liias had been Democrats’ only serious choice for the job in the 21st Legislative District since Shin left office earlier this month for health reasons.
Mukilteo Mayor Jennifer Gregerson and Edmonds City Councilmember Strom Peterson also were nominated by Democrats, but both endorsed Liias and said they would not accept appointments themselves.
“I think of this as a great honor,” Liias said in his interview with the council, before members voted.
Ortiz-Self, 53, of Mukilteo, was the top choice of Democratic precinct committee officers and got the nod over Darrell Chapman of Edmonds. The council approved the appointment unanimously after more than a quarter-hour behind closed doors.
“Either of you will make an outstanding representative,” said Democratic Councilman Dave Somers. “In this case, the party did indicate a priority and I will support that.”
Liias and Ortiz-Self will serve the district which encompasses Edmonds, Lynnwood and southern portions of Everett. Their appointments are good through the November election, and both intend to run for full terms then.
Liias, 32, who lives in south Everett, was serving on the Mukilteo City Council when he was appointed to the state House in January 2008. He replaced Brian Sullivan, who resigned after winning a seat on the Snohomish County Council.
Re-elected three times, he said he’s most proud of authoring anti-bullying laws and pushing through a bill to close the Trans Alta coal plant and make Washington coal-free.
In the past couple of years, as a member of the House Transportation Committee, he’s been involved in negotiations of a multibillion-dollar transportation funding package. He’ll be assigned to the Senate Transportation Committee, where he can remain involved.
He also is a former small-business owner. He said he and his father established Regal Homes in 2003 and built about a dozen homes and duplexes before shutting the doors in 2007 as the housing market began to tank.
In those four years he said he became acutely aware of the hurdles one faces in starting a company and surviving.
“It was a good learning experience,” he said.
Liias, one of a handful of gay legislators, is among the most liberal Democrats in the Legislature. County Council members asked how he’ll approach working with the Republican-led Majority Coalition in the Senate.
He said it shouldn’t be a problem because he’s worked with Republicans on a slew of bills in the House.
“I don’t promise I will agree 100 percent of the time — I’m a Democrat after all,” he said. “I think I have the ability” to reach across the aisle.
Last October, when Shin announced he intended to retire at the end of 2014, Liias declared his candidacy for the Senate seat. He’ll now take office sooner.
For Ortiz-Self, this will be her first political office.
“I feel very humbled and very honored to be given this opportunity,” she said. “I want to be sure to make the 21st District proud and to make sure the children and families of Washington have their voices heard in Olympia.”
Ortiz-Self, whose parents are from Puerto Rico, was born in New York, raised in Florida, attended college in Iowa and moved 12 years ago to Snohomish County, where she began working in the Everett School District.
She is a counselor at North Middle School in Everett and a member of the Washington state Commission on Hispanic Affairs. She also serves on the Educational Opportunity Gap Oversight and Accountability Committee created by the Legislature.
She told county council members education is her top priority, and she wants to work on increasing funding for education and eliminating disparities in academic opportunities for students between schools.
“I actually believe it is the civil rights issue of our day,” she said.
Ortiz-Self launched her campaign for the two-year seat in October the day after Liias declared he would run for Senate.
She’s corralled endorsements from several area state lawmakers, including Democratic Reps. Mary Helen Roberts of Lynnwood, Luis Moscoso of Mountlake Terrace and Cindy Ryu of Shoreline, and Sen. John McCoy, D-Tulalip.
Chapman boasted of having a hand in political decision-making in the county and at the state Capitol for two decades.
He’s president of the Snohomish County Labor Council, political director of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and a member of the Workforce Development Council of Snohomish County.
Phillips is president of the Edmonds School Board. She entered the competition late and urged the council to support Ortiz-Self because she was the top nominee of Democratic precinct committee officers.
Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623; jcornfield@heraldnet.com.
© 2016 The Daily Herald Co., Everett, WA
https://www.heraldnet.com/news/liias-ortiz-self-appointed-in-21st-district/