Dear neighbors,
Earlier today I announced my retirement to my fellow lawmakers and I sent out a statement to the press. I am including it below. Please know that I am grateful for your support and for your friendship and that my decision to retire does not mean we will lose contact. I truly hope we can stay in touch as I continue to serve you in other capacities.
“I feel truly honored that the people of North Seattle have allowed me to represent them all these years. It has been a wonderful experience. Every decision I have made has been with their best interests in mind; I hope they feel that I have served them well.
I have enormous faith in the people of Washington state. They can be tough on their elected officials, but that’s because they believe that we, as a state, can and will be better. I share that belief.
By the end of this term, I will have served 16 years in the Washington State House of Representatives. The House is an institution that I hold very dear to my heart, and I count many of my colleagues – on both sides of the aisle – among my friends.
We may not see eye to eye on some issues, but I believe all of us, Democrats and Republicans, come to Olympia with a true commitment to the people we represent and a true desire to make our One Washington a better place for all.
I thank my husband Larry and all my kids for their love and support, but also for putting up with my absence three or four months out of the year, for many years.
And lastly, I am grateful for the trust, partnership and support of North Seattle residents, for making my service in the House so tremendously rewarding. While I will be out of elective office in 2013 for the first time in 16 years, I hope to continue my involvement and find new opportunities to serve our community and our state.”
House Speaker Frank Chopp issued this statement:
“To me, Phyllis’s story is the embodiment of the American Dream. Born to migrant workers, she spent her early years working in the fields. But she believed in the promise of this country and in the value of education and look at what she achieved!
“However, she never forgot her roots. She has worked tirelessly on behalf of the underrepresented in our state, improving conditions for farm workers, fighting for educational opportunities for lower-income students, and providing shelter for the homeless.”
“We are going to miss her.”
If you’d like to read a short biography, please go to this site:http://www.housedemocrats.wa.
Phyllis Gutierrez Kenney
State Representative
46th Legislative District
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