Republican Steve Litzow garners challenge in legislative race
May 1, 2012
State Sen. Steve Litzow, a freshman Republican from Mercer Island and a local representative in Olympia, attracted a challenger April 17 in the race for a full term.
Democrat Maureen Judge, a Mercer Island resident and former Washington Toxics Coalition executive director, entered the race against Litzow.
“As a mother, I deeply value education funding as a force to protect our state’s future competitiveness and economic health,” Judge said in a statement. “During his 2010 campaign, Steve Litzow promised he would fight for education funding. But this legislative session he demonstrated that he’d rather toe the Republican Party line than fight for our kids, our state and our future.”
In 2010, Litzow defeated appointed incumbent Randy Gordon by 192 votes to represent the 41st Legislative District in the Senate. (The recent redistricting process put most of Issaquah inside the district.)
Litzow and Gordon battled to fill the unexpired term of former Sen. Fred Jarrett, the current King County deputy executive.
Issaquah legislators top list on missed votes tally
April 24, 2012
NEW — 3 p.m. April 24, 2012
Local legislators missed the most votes in the Legislature during the 2012 regular and special sessions.
Glenn Anderson
The information, released Tuesday in a report from the nonpartisan organization WashingtonVotes.org, ranks state Rep. Glenn Anderson at the top for both chambers, followed by state Sen. Cheryl Pflug and state Rep. Jay Rodne.
Anderson missed 95 votes to top the list for Senate and House of Representatives members. Pflug did not participate in 64 votes and Rodne did not participate in 62.
The lawmakers represent Issaquah and the 5th Legislative District.
Legislator Deb Eddy, Issaquah representative, announces retirement
March 13, 2012
State Rep. Deb Eddy, a Kirkland Democrat representing Issaquah neighborhoods along Lake Sammamish, has announced plans to retire from the House of Representatives.
Deb Eddy
In a statement issued March 7, the former Kirkland mayor said she does not intend to run for re- election to the 48th Legislative District seat. The district is poised to lose Issaquah due to redistricting.
“When recruited, I promised to serve for six years, and I’ve fulfilled that commitment,” Eddy said in a statement. “It’s time to move on and find out what the next chapter of my life will look like.”
Washington State Redistricting Commission members shifted the 48th District elsewhere in the recent reshuffling. (Remaining Issaquah neighborhoods fall inside the 5th and 41st legislative districts.)
The realigned political maps go into effect for the November election.
In 2006, and again in 2008 and 2010, Eddy cruised to election and re-election against Republican opponents.
Deb Eddy, Issaquah representative in Olympia, announces retirement
March 9, 2012
NEW — 8 a.m. March 9, 2012
State Rep. Deb Eddy, a Kirkland Democrat representing Issaquah neighborhoods along Lake Sammamish, announced plans to retire from the House of Representatives.
Deb Eddy
In a statement issued Wednesday, the former Kirkland mayor said she does not intend to run for re-election to the 48th Legislative District seat. The district is poised to lose Issaquah due to redistricting.
“When recruited, I promised to serve for six years, and I’ve fulfilled that commitment,” Eddy said in a statement. “It’s time to move on and find out what the next chapter of my life will look like.”
Washington State Redistricting Commission members shifted the 48th District elsewhere in the recent reshuffling. (Remaining Issaquah neighborhoods fall inside the 5th and 41st legislative districts.)
Congressman completes district office move to Issaquah
March 6, 2012
U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert opened a district office in Issaquah on March 1, after redistricting prompted the Auburn Republican to relocate from the former office on Mercer Island.
“I’m excited to be moving to Issaquah,” he said in a statement. “My priority as a congressman is serving my district and my constituents.”
Constituents can visit the office in the Sammamish View Office Building, 22605 S.E. 56th St., Suite 130. Call the office at 677-7414.
The district office site in Issaquah needed to meet congressional security criteria.
Reichert chose Issaquah due to easy access from communities throughout the redrawn 8th Congressional District. The reshaped district stretches from Auburn to Wenatchee. The former district encompassed only communities in King and Pierce counties.
U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert completes district office move to Issaquah
March 1, 2012
NEW — 11:45 a.m. March 1, 2012
U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert opened a district office in Issaquah on Thursday, after redistricting prompted the Auburn Republican to relocate from the former office on Mercer Island.
“I’m excited to be moving to Issaquah,” Reichert said in a statement. “My priority as a congressman is serving my district and my constituents.”
Constituents can visit the office in the Sammamish View Office Building, 22605 S.E. 56th St., Suite 130. Call 677-7414.
The district office site in Issaquah needed to meet congressional security criteria.
Reichert chose Issaquah due to easy access from communities throughout the redrawn 8th Congressional District. The reshaped district stretches from Auburn to Wenatchee. The former district encompassed only communities in King and Pierce counties.
The congressman announced plans to relocate from Mercer Island to Issaquah on Feb. 24.
U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert relocates district office to Issaquah
February 28, 2012
U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert plans to open a district office in Issaquah after redistricting shifted the former office on Mercer Island into another district.
Dave Reichert
The GOP congressman plans to open a district office in a Southeast 56th Street office building uphill from East Lake Sammamish Parkway Southeast.
The relocation reflects a monumental change in the district Reichert represents. The redrawn 8th Congressional District stretches from Auburn in South King County to Wenatchee in Chelan County. The former district encompassed only communities in King and Pierce counties.
(The reshaped district goes into effect for the House of Representatives election in November.)
“We felt like Issaquah was probably the most accessible and easy to get to for both sides of the Cascades,” Reichert said in a Feb. 24 interview.
The district office employs seven staffers responsible for handling constituents’ questions related to Social Security entitlements, veterans benefits, immigration issues and more.
Issaquah residents invited to legislative town hall
February 14, 2012
Residents can join Issaquah legislators to discuss the ongoing session in Olympia at town hall meetings in Mercer Island and Newcastle soon.
Meet state Sen. Steve Litzow and state Reps. Judy Clibborn and Marcie Maxwell — 41st Legislative District lawmakers — at the Feb. 18 meetings. The sessions come as the Legislature confronts a $1.5 billion shortfall in the state budget.
The bipartisan delegation — Republican Litzow; Democrats Clibborn and Maxwell — plans to answer participants’ questions.
The morning meeting is scheduled from 10-11:30 a.m. at Hazelwood Elementary School, 7100 116th Ave. S.E., Newcastle. The afternoon session is planned from 1:30-3 p.m. at Mercer Island High School, 9100 S.E. 42nd St., Mercer Island.
Participants can submit questions before the meeting. Email questions to townhall41@leg.wa.gov or mail them to Sen. Steve Litzow, P.O. Box 40441, Olympia, WA 98504.
Washington State Redistricting Commission members shifted the 41st District from encompassing Cougar Mountain neighborhoods to include North Issaquah and Sammamish. (Remaining Issaquah neighborhoods fall inside the 5th Legislative District.)
The realigned political maps go into effect for the November election.
Join 48th Legislative District lawmakers for town hall meeting
February 8, 2012
NEW — 6 a.m. Feb. 8, 2012
Residents can join Issaquah legislators to discuss the ongoing session in Olympia at a town hall meetings in Redmond soon.
Meet state Sen. Rodney Tom and state Reps. Deb Eddy and Ross Hunter — 48th Legislative District lawmakers — at the Feb. 18 meeting. The session comes as the Legislature confronts a $1.5 billion shortfall in the state budget.
In Issaquah, the district encompasses Greenwood Point, South Cove and other neighborhoods along Lake Sammamish.
The meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. to noon in the Council Chamber at Redmond City Hall, 15670 N.E. 85th St.
Washington State Redistricting Commission members shifted the 48th District elsewhere in the recent reshuffling. (Remaining Issaquah neighborhoods fall inside the 5th and 41st legislative districts.) The realigned political maps go into effect for the November election.
Issaquah lawmakers invite residents to town hall meetings
February 7, 2012
NEW — 8 a.m. Feb. 7, 2012
Residents can join Issaquah legislators to discuss the ongoing session in Olympia at town hall meetings in Mercer Island and Newcastle soon.
Meet state Sen. Steve Litzow and state Reps. Judy Clibborn and Marcie Maxwell — 41st Legislative District lawmakers — at the Feb. 18 meetings. The sessions come as the Legislature confronts a $1.5 billion shortfall in the state budget.
The bipartisan delegation — Republican Litzow; Democrats Clibborn and Maxwell — plans to answer participants’ questions.
The morning meeting is scheduled for 10-11:30 a.m. at Hazelwood Elementary School, 7100 116th Ave. S.E., Newcastle. The afternoon session is planned for 1:30-3 p.m. at Mercer Island High School, 9100 S.E. 42nd St., Mercer Island.
