If you're looking for a candidate to support in the August 17 primary election, Joe Fitzgibbon should be one of your top priorities. With three years' worth of legislative sessions under his belt as an aide to Rep. Sharon Nelson, he stands out from the pack running to fill her open seat in the 34th legislative district (West Seattle, Vashon, Burien, Tukwila).
We look forward to working with Joe in Olympia not just because he' s the only candidate with Olympia experience, but because he so clearly cares about the issues that are most important to us as bicyclists. And he's not just endorsed by Cascade -- you can see Joe's healthy list of supporters in his television ad or on his website.
Fitzgibbon chairs the Burien Planning Commission, and has fought for more transportation choices in his hometown. Last year, he campaigned for a ballot measure to raise funding for sidewalks and bike lanes in Burien that are critical for creating Safe Routes to Schools. He even spent hours as a volunteer counting bicyclists and pedestrians on these corridors to support creating a safer infrastructure.
“My district has seen a tragically high number of vehicle crashes causing injuries or deaths for pedestrians and bicyclists, including the 2006 death of Tatsuo Nakata... The Legislature must establish a different penalty for motor vehicle offenses that endanger or end someone’s life, both to ensure justice for those who are killed or injured and to lead drivers to pay more attention to the potentially life-ending impacts of distracted driving.” - Joe Fitzgibbon
In Joe's interview with Cascade, he demonstrated intimate knowledge of the policy changes it will take to get the pedestrian, bike and transit infrastructure that are in high demand. In a rare instance, rather than having to educate a candidate about the issues that are important to us, we asked Joe for the inside scoop on the next statewide transportation funding proposal. He committed to prioritizing bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, and detailed potential revenue sources we may be able to tap in order to accomplish that goal.
If you live in the 34th, please vote for Joe, and even if you don't, pass along to your friends in the district. The primary is one week away!
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