Letter to Editor | Habib for Lieutenant Governor

— from David Turnoy —

For those of you who have yet to vote, I would like to make a strong recommendation to vote for Cyrus Habib in the race for lieutenant governor. I have had the opportunity to be with Cyrus in person twice during the campaign, and he is a very impressive young man. He lost his eyesight to cancer as a child, but that has not stopped him from attending Columbia University, followed by a stint at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, and finally the completion of a law degree at Yale. Cyrus currently practices law in Seattle, and in addition he teaches law at Seattle University.

For those of you wondering about Cyrus’s background, his parents came here from Iran in search of political freedom and economic opportunity. His father was an engineer and lawyer who later became a Superior Court judge. Cyrus was born here in America and attended public school in the Seattle area.

Cyrus has served as both a member of the House and as a State Senator. In the Senate, Cyrus is a member of the Democratic leadership team, serving as Democratic Whip, which makes him one of the top ranked Democrats in the Legislature. The Washington Post has named him one of the top 40 politicians in the U.S. under the age of 40, and Governing Magazine has listed him as one of 12 legislators to watch nationally because of his ability to work collaboratively to get things done.

In both the House of Representatives and the Senate, Cyrus has been a champion for fully funding our public schools, reducing college tuition, investing in a transportation system that addresses the tremendous need for transit, basic protections for working families, acting urgently to address climate change and a more open and accountable state government. Cyrus is the prime sponsor of legislation in the State Senate to guarantee paid sick leave for nearly all Washington workers. He is also the prime sponsor in the State Senate of the Washington Voting Rights Act, which will ensure that cities and counties are prevented from using racially polarized voting systems. In addition, he has introduced a bill that would allow people to submit legislative testimony from their phone or computer, rather than having to go all the way to Olympia to express their views on pending legislation. He authored legislative language acknowledging that climate change is real and that human activity is a significant factor in its acceleration.

Cyrus authored the Washington Jobs Act of 2014, which allowed investor crowdfunding for the first time in Washington, so that entrepreneurs and small businesses can more easily obtain access to capital. He has also authored legislation protecting bridge toll payers from wrongful and excessive charges, and legislation allowing companies like Uber and Lyft to operate and be regulated throughout Washington State. As a member of the Senate Transportation Committee, Cyrus played a critical role in the passage of a landmark transportation investment package that completes the SR 520 bridge replacement and the North Spokane Corridor, funds extensions of SR 167 and 509, adds new lanes to I-405, and authorizes the next generation of light rail and bus rapid transit in the central Puget Sound region. This was the first investment in transportation infrastructure in a decade, and will reduce congestion, improve safety, and create jobs throughout Washington State.

Cyrus Habib is an exciting young legislator who is ready to move to the next level; even President Obama has endorsed him. Let’s help him reach the office of lieutenant governor.