Letter to the editor: Supporting Janelle Cass for State Senate

Editor:

As we head into the Independence Day celebration this weekend, I have in the past, typically had a positive outlook on the future. That does not mean that I had no concerns in previous years, but this year feels quite different. This year I find my thoughts regularly occupied with the cost of living, feeling less safe, the homelessness and drug addiction crisis and the lack of progress being made to address these serious issues. I lay this at the feet of elected officials who are in the position to drive the solutions  that are desperately needed. While primary elections are typically a snooze-fest and have low turn turnout, engaging in this process is crucial. I write this letter to the editor in support of Janelle Cass for Senate in the 21st Legislative District.

The incumbent, Marko Liias, is simply not delivering, in my opinion. He has failed on the most important issues that we face in our daily lives. If you feel that everything is peachy and going according to plan you can stop reading. But if you worry about the safety of your family, homelessness, or that government is exerting more and more control over our lives, please consider:

Crime: Liias has let us down. He supports weak legislative language related to Law Enforcement which has led to higher crime rates. Janelle Cass is committed to lowering crime and making our neighborhoods safer and is endorsed by the Washington Council of Police & Sheriffs. She will push for legislation that helps Law Enforcement to do their job.

Qualifications: incumbent Liias has been in Olympia since 2008 (14 years!!) and has very little real-world experience and was recently selected to be the chair of the Transportation Committee, overseeing an astronomical amount of tax dollars being spent. Janelle Cass has the real-world experience that is desperately needed. She is a small business owner and has a degree in civil/environmental engineering, having graduated from the Air Force Academy.

Overreach: The incumbent supports the concept of the state taking over the power to re-zone single-family residential lots to accommodate the development of missing middle housing. In a 2021 Senate hearing, Sen. Liias said, “If it were left up to me, we would mandate missing middle housing in every jurisdiction across our state, but the legislature has not reached a consensus on that.” Janelle Cass will fight to keep the decisions about single-family zoning local, where they belong. She is committed to listening to her constituents and prioritizing their concerns, will bring an open mind, her vast experience, an analytical approach to Olympia and focus on the root causes to bring real solutions.

Please vote by Aug 2!

Beth Fleming
Edmonds

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