LETTERS TO THE EDITOR | Haugen earns vote, respect

To the editor:

Because of her experience, her performance and her integrity, Mary Margaret Haugen will receive my vote for our District 10 State Senate office.

For over 30 years, Sen. Haugen has served her community and this district through public office. She began by serving on her local school board and because of that interest in education sought and was elected to the state House of Representatives. For the past 20 years she has served as a state senator. That experience gives her wisdom that comes from the give-and-take of the inner workings of state legislature.

Her performance in state government has been outstanding. Throughout that time she has championed education, worked for the agricultural interests of her district and risen to the position of chair of the Senate Transportation Committee. In that role, she has worked tirelessly to improve our state ferry system. Prominent in those improvements are new ferries for the Coupeville-Port Townsend route, resulting in sizable contracts for Nichols Brothers Boat Builders of Freeland. Those results are laudable because in the big picture of state transportation, the ferry system, the lifeblood of our local economy, can easily be overwhelmed by the other needs of the metropolis.

Finally, but very important to me as a person of faith, is her integrity. At a time in our national history when equal rights for sexual minority persons is a big issue, Mary Margaret cast an important vote to move that issue forward. She struggled with that vote, knowing full well that elements of her constituency would be offended should she vote for marriage equality. In the end, she choose to vote for marriage equality. I greatly admire her willingness to take the risk involved in that vote. To me that speaks of her integrity, that, along with her considerable experience and her outstanding performance, earns not only my vote, but also my deep respect.

Larry Fox

Freeland

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