“I was just shocked to find the dysfunction in Olympia”
The candidate list keeps on growing in the 43rd Legislative District. A labor organizer and trial lawyer, both Democrats, recently launched campaigns to represent Capitol Hill and First Hill in Olympia.
Marcus Courtney, who entered the race Monday, was a Microsoft contractor in the 1990s — an experience that drove him to a new career in labor organizing. While he tried, and ultimately failed, to get Microsoft temp workers a collective bargaining agreement, Courtney went on to start WashTech, a labor union representing the region’s tech sector. He is now an organizer with AFL-CIO. The 45-year-old began considering a run for the Legislature in 2013 when he returned to Seattle after working in Switzerland for several years.
“I was just shocked to find the dysfunction in Olympia,” said Courtney, who lives in South Lake Union.
Seattle trial lawyer Daniel Shih jumped into the race last month. A partner at Susman Godfrey, Shih recently represented a group of clients in an brief filed with the State Supreme Court which argued against a florist’s claims they had a moral right to refuse business for a gay wedding.
Shih said he feels an obligation to help expand the opportunity his parents found in Washington.”I think this is a really pivotal time in Seattle,” he said. “I think the decisions we make now will really set us on a course and I want to be a part of that process.”
Shih (pronounced “she”) is also a board member with the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington and lives in Eastlake with his husband and three daughters.
Whoever 43rd district voters send to Olympia will be part of the final showdown to address the state’s looming $3.5 billion budget shortfall in teacher pay. Lawmakers this session punted the final debate to 2017, when the Legislature will have to come up with a way to meet the demands the State Supreme Court laid out in its McCleary decision.
Courtney said he wants to explore a carbon pollution tax to raise revenues in the state to pay for education.
“Clearly, revenue needs to get raised,” he said. “The problem in Olympia today is that too many people believe that the solution is to cut taxes for the wealthy.”
Shih said no option should be taken off the table, but passing a state income tax was highly unlikely. Shih said he thinks a high earner capital gains tax could pass, although it would still far shot of solving the state’s revenue problems.
Four other candidates have entered the 43rd district race so far. Political consultant and LGBTQ advocate Thomas Pitchford was the first to quietly launch his campaign in January while homeless advocate and low income housing expert Nicole Macri was the first to publicly announce her candidacy last month. Danni Askini, executive director of the Gender Justice League, announced her campaign last week. Sameer Ranade, a Capitol Hill resident and campaign associate for the Washington Environmental Council, has also joined the race.
The 43rd District seat opened up in December when Rep. Brady Walkinshaw decided to make a run in Seattle’s 7th Congressional District — a seat held for 14 terms by the retiring Rep. Jim McDermott. The 43rd covers several neighborhoods on both sides of the cut, including Capitol Hill north of E Madison, University District, Madison Park, Montlake, Wallingford, Eastlake, Greenlake and parts of Fremont, Ravenna, South Lake Union and downtown.
Yaaaaaaaaaaawn.
I’m can’t vote for anyone who has lived such a sheltered life that they are shocked by the dysfunction of government. Fed up, sick and tired of government, yes. “Shocked” makes me question competence or integrity.
Well, he had been living in Switzerland for several years. Perhaps the contrast was startling. Seems like a pretty lame reason not to vote for someone.
I’m sick of people announcing their candidacies with nice soundbites about what’s wrong with our current political situation. I want someone to step up and give a detailed account of what they are going to do to fix the problems. We know what the problems are! And not only fix them, but how are you going to deal with the fact that we have to work with the red counties. They aren’t going anywhere and electing any of these people isn’t going to change the make up of the legislature. Who is going to work with the other side to institute changes that both Western and Eastern Washington can both live with?
I totally agree with you. I too was put off by the attempt at an attention grabbing statement. And a statement I thought questioned ability and knowledge. If someone simply reads any newspaper or watches a newscast they would be aware of the inability for people in politics to work together anymore. For some reason people see working with the other side as loosing. I see working with other people, understanding their perspective, and making compromises as being an adult. We need grown ups in politics.
Losing not loosing. Wish I could edit.
So a rich lawyer who doesn’t want to challenge the income tax ban, and a straight white guy with a history of failed organizing? Do they have something against the women in the race, or are they just more interested in power than diversity in Olympia?