Joe Szwaja, Candidate for Position One, Seattle, WA
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Joe Szwaja To Challenge Jean Godden
for Seattle City
Council Position One
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday June 4th, 2007.
Today, Joe Szwaja announced his candidacy for Seattle City Council. “I'm in this race to win it”, said Szwaja, a former three-term Madison, Wisconsin council member. “The big developers have had their way for too long. We need a strong watchdog on the council to make sure the citizens' interests are protected. The incumbent, go-along Jean Godden, has gone along with financially bloated projects like the failed tunnel proposal. She has sided with the mayor and his rich developer friends while millions of dollars in basic infrastructure projects go unattended. In fact, Councilwoman Godden has no significant accomplishments to show for her four years on the council.” Seattle can do much better - let's retire go-along Jean Godden.
Joe Szwaja has a strong record of leadership, independence and practical results. As a Madison City Council member for six years, Joe earned a reputation as a practical visionary who could, “Pull a needle out of a haystack” and actually pay for the programs he proposed through cutting fat in wasteful city agencies. He earned respect from advocates for renters' rights and business leaders alike. Joe Szwaja was one of the first politicians in the country to sponsor and pass a family fairness law to provide health insurance as well as sick and bereavement leave for city workers' families. Many gay and lesbian families received family benefits for the first time as a result of Joe's legislation. Joe Szwaja was also instrumental in passing legislation that protected wetlands, supported transit and required developers to cover more of the costs of their development projects.
A high school teacher for 14 years in the Seattle Public school system, Szwaja has inspired many students to get involved in political and humanitarian programs. He has also taken many of these students abroad to learn Spanish and volunteer for social justice work. He received an Outstanding American Teacher's Award in 2006 as a result of student nominations.
Joe ran for U.S. Congress in 2000, and gained over 52,000 votes in Washington's 7th district against the incumbent, a testament to his campaigning abilities and appeal to voters. Part of Joe's broad record of achievement in Seattle includes a UN Association of Seattle Human Rights award in 1999, the founding of the Seattle International Human Rights Coalition in 2002, and his successful promotion of renewable energy and conservation at Seattle's Nova High School. His supporters include labor union members, housing advocates, environmentalists, business owners, educators, former students, community activists, and a broad spectrum of citizens throughout Seattle.
****** For more information, contact: Campaign Headquarters Priority
Press Contact
Joe Szwaja, 206.420.1830
campaign@joeforcouncil.com
Gentry Lange, 206.498.3937
gentry@gentrylange.com