Retain Rep. Lillian Ortiz-Self

The race for the 21st Legislative district, Position 2, brings into focus the state Supreme Court’s 2012 McCleary decision and the mandate to fully fund K-12 education. Sixty years ago, U.S. Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas wrote without irony that “Washington has made education her proudest boast.” It’s a boast that’s grown less resonant over the years.

Rep. Lillian Ortiz-Self, who was appointed in January when Marko Liias was sent to the state Senate following Sen. Paull Shin’s resignation, has a visceral understanding of K-12 and is conditioned to see outcomes through a been-there, pragmatic lens. A mental health counselor and educator in the Everett School District, Ortiz-Self has worked at both Everett High and North Middle School. She’s witnessed the consequences of shredding the safety net as well as some novel approaches to ed reform.

“There should be more of us in the Legislature,” she said about K-12 educators. If Ortiz-Self is elected to a full term — and The Herald Editorial Board believes she deserves to be — she’ll have her hands full with all-things-McCleary.

Ortiz-Self, who serves on the House Early Learning Committee, advocates closing corporate-tax loopholes to underwrite McCleary. According to the state Department of Revenue, 575 state tax breaks have no expiration date. Well-heeled lobbyists labor to keep it that way.

Writing about the loophole conundrum in 2013, House Finance Committee Chairman Reuven Carlyle noted that, “Too often we jump to the conclusion that there is simply no political appetite in our state for tax reform to alleviate the weaknesses of our system for people, while simultaneously entertaining endless ‘modest’ fixes that alleviate the inefficiencies of our system on important industries.”

Ortiz-Self’s Republican opponent, Jeff Scherrer, is short on specifics beyond acknowledging that McCleary will dominate the session and that K-12 should be fully funded ahead of other spending. The Green Party candidate, Bob Lewis, is an articulate advocate for progressive remedies to ed funding and income inequality, solutions that are unlikely to gain political traction outside of Sweden or Seattle (a 5-10 percent capital gains excise tax, for example, and the $15 minimum wage). That said, Lewis and Ortiz-Self are both sensitized to the needs of low-income district residents.

The 21st, which includes Mukilteo and portions of Edmonds and Everett, as well as areas north of Lynnwood, is an urban-suburban cross-section. Ortiz-Self demonstrates the talent and leadership to represent all the citizens of the 21st. She should be retained.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Opinion

toon
Editorial cartoons for Friday, July 11

A sketchy look at the news of the day.… Continue reading

2024 Presidential Election Day Symbolic Elements.
Editorial: Retain Escamilla, Binda on Lynnwood City Council

Escamilla was appointed a year ago. Binda is serving his first term.

The Buzz: What the mainstream media don’t want you to know

They’re not, but we just liked how that looked at the top of the page and thought you’d read it.

Schwab: Yes, your Medicaid’s gone but you can gloat over gators

What Trump is taking from the social safety net, he’s adding to the cruelty against working immigrants.

Congress’ passage of tax cuts bill marked shameful day for GOP

This July 3 was one of the most shameful days in American… Continue reading

Tell senators to keep vaccine aid by rejecting recissions bill

The Senate could vote on a Trump administration-proposed rescissions package before July… Continue reading

Too much risk, noise and annoyance with fireworks

Let’s hear it for all the “kids” who like to endanger life… Continue reading

A Volunteers of America Western Washington crisis counselor talks with somebody on the phone Thursday, July 28, 2022, in at the VOA Behavioral Health Crisis Call Center in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Editorial: Dire results will follow end of LGBTQ+ crisis line

The Trump administration will end funding for a 988 line that serves youths in the LGBTQ+ community.

toon
Editorial: Using discourse to get to common ground

A Building Bridges panel discussion heard from lawmakers and students on disagreeing agreeably.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) speaks during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol on Friday, June 27, 2025. The sweeping measure Senate Republican leaders hope to push through has many unpopular elements that they despise. But they face a political reckoning on taxes and the scorn of the president if they fail to pass it. (Kent Nishimura/The New York Times)
Editorial: GOP should heed all-caps message on tax policy bill

Trading cuts to Medicaid and more for tax cuts for the wealthy may have consequences for Republicans.

Comment: About that Social Security email sent to retirees

It was uncharacteristically political, inaccurate about the BBB’s benefits and likely to cause mistrust of the SSA.

toon
Editorial cartoons for Thursday, July 10

A sketchy look at the news of the day.… Continue reading

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.