Rep. Mike Sells, D-Everett, a longtime teacher and lawmaker, is retiring from the state House of Representatives. (Kevin Clark / The Herald file photo)

Rep. Mike Sells, D-Everett, a longtime teacher and lawmaker, is retiring from the state House of Representatives. (Kevin Clark / The Herald file photo)

Forum: Thanks from across the aisle for Mike Sells’ dedication

Sells, retiring this year from the state House, has always worked for the best interests of all.

By Nate Nehring / Herald Forum

When state Rep. Mike Sells, D-Everett, retires at the end of the month, he will leave a legacy of nearly 50 years of public service (both as a school teacher and as an elected representative) to Snohomish County residents.

As someone who is relatively new to politics, I’ve had the privilege of getting to work with Rep. Sells on a few occasions. Though we belong to different political parties, I have always been impressed by Mike’s dedication to the constituents he serves, his willingness to work across the aisle, and his ability to get things done in Olympia.

When local businesses, labor organizations and educational institutions called attention to the lack of apprenticeship opportunities for our youth, Sells answered the call and led the charge in Olympia to fund the Regional Apprenticeship Pathways (RAP) Program. This program serves 50 Snohomish County high school students each year, connecting them to hands-on training which will prepare them to move on to a successful postsecondary career in the trades. This preapprenticeship program, along with many other pieces of legislation over the years, would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of Mike.

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In a time of increasing political polarization, I have a great deal of respect for those who are willing to put politics aside and work with those who they don’t always see eye to eye with in order to accomplish a common goal. That’s exactly how Rep. Sells has operated during the time I’ve known him. Though he is and has always been a staunch Democrat, he has never treated me with anything less than the utmost respect. We could sure use more of that attitude on both sides of the aisle today!

Finally, Mike has not only been someone who cares about his community, but also someone who can move the ball forward in Olympia. The same can’t be said for all legislators; Olympia can be a messy place and it certainly takes skill to maneuver through the process of getting legislation successfully passed and budget priorities secured. The combination of dedication and skill is part of what has made Mike an effective representative for the people of the 38th Legislative District over the years.

While I don’t agree with every vote Sells has taken over his long career, I believe he leaves behind a legacy which deserves to be honored by those of all political persuasions. So, from a Republican to a Democrat, I say “thank you” to Rep. Sells for his years of public service which has benefitted the lives of many in Snohomish County and throughout Washington state.

Snohomish County Councilmember Nate Nehring represents the coucil’s District 1.

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THis is an editorial cartoon by Michael de Adder . Michael de Adder was born in Moncton, New Brunswick. He studied art at Mount Allison University where he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in drawing and painting. He began his career working for The Coast, a Halifax-based alternative weekly, drawing a popular comic strip called Walterworld which lampooned the then-current mayor of Halifax, Walter Fitzgerald. This led to freelance jobs at The Chronicle-Herald and The Hill Times in Ottawa, Ontario.

 

After freelancing for a few years, de Adder landed his first full time cartooning job at the Halifax Daily News. After the Daily News folded in 2008, he became the full-time freelance cartoonist at New Brunswick Publishing. He was let go for political views expressed through his work including a cartoon depicting U.S. President Donald Trump’s border policies. He now freelances for the Halifax Chronicle Herald, the Toronto Star, Ottawa Hill Times and Counterpoint in the USA. He has over a million readers per day and is considered the most read cartoonist in Canada.

 

Michael de Adder has won numerous awards for his work, including seven Atlantic Journalism Awards plus a Gold Innovation Award for news animation in 2008. He won the Association of Editorial Cartoonists' 2002 Golden Spike Award for best editorial cartoon spiked by an editor and the Association of Canadian Cartoonists 2014 Townsend Award. The National Cartoonists Society for the Reuben Award has shortlisted him in the Editorial Cartooning category. He is a past president of the Association of Canadian Editorial Cartoonists and spent 10 years on the board of the Cartoonists Rights Network.
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