Rep. Reuven Carlyle

February 22, 2012 – Legislative Update

Feb. 10 – Rep. Carlyle gives a passionate speech on the House floor in support of HB 2592, which will expand educational opportunities for foster youth.

As your state representative, my job is to fully engage in the tough public policy issues facing our community and try and make a genuine and meaningful difference as your voice in Olympia.
As a husband, father, entrepreneur and citizen legislator, I’m passionate about unleashing the spirit and possibilities of our state’s quality of life. I see my fundamental obligation as helping our kids and economy thrive in a 21st Century global community. I believe we must have the moral courage to invest in our human capital as well as public infrastructure. It is time to appreciate and measure the value of an educated and enlightened society and not simply the cost of the taxes to support it. I am a passionate, progressive advocate for access to opportunity so young people can achieve the dream of an education. I treasure our privacy and constitutional rights.

With one of the most educated, engaged and progressive legislative districts in the state, I feel a responsibility to tackle serious policy issues at a systems level and attempt to move beyond tired excuses and rationalizations.

If you need help navigating your way through the institutional bureaucracy of state government, please contact me. If you want to share your views about legislation, policies and issues (Viaduct, state budget, tuition policies, health care access and affordability, Seattle Public School challenges, foster care, social services, transportation infrastructure, Port of Seattle, Seattle Center and much more), I hope you’ll reach out to me in a thoughtful way.

World-class constituent service is the heart and soul of my work for you. As the new legislator succeeding Rep. Helen Sommers I’m still learning the ropes—and I’ll naturally make mistakes—but I hope you’ll consider my office a resource for help when you’re at your wits end about something state government has or has not done well.

I devoted a lot of time to meeting with citizens over the interim to better understand the issues we face and prepare for addressing them during the current 2010 session. Olympia is back in session, and I will be working hard to ensure your values are reflected in the budgets and bills we pass.

I remain driven by the challenge of rebuilding our economy with a 21st Century clean energy infrastructure; reforming K-12 and higher education to bring down the counterproductive and inefficient silos in education; contributing to serious “systems” issues of special importance to our district such as tax reform, foster care policies, Viaduct replacement strategy, Seattle Center’s future, tourism policies and much more.

I challenge you to believe in the idealism and dignity of public service and to join me in a genuine, thoughtful and passionate dialogue about our state’s future.

Your partner in service,

Sincerely,

Reuven