Letter: Petrich would judge cases on merits and the law

Letter to the Editor

Editor,

I’m voting for Kathleen Petrich for Superior Court judge and I urge you to do the same.

I know from working with Kathleen that she’s tough, experienced, caring, hard-working and competent.

She’s totally committed to this place and its values.

“Firm but fair” isn’t just her campaign slogan; it’s who she is.

I have no doubt Kathleen’s opponent is also highly qualified, but there are several things that convince me Kathleen is the better choice.

First, Kathleen brings us the best of two worlds. I’ve never seen anyone fit faster or more productively into our Island County community than Kathleen and her husband George.

They’ve met more people, joined more community groups and contributed more as volunteers and volunteer leaders than most of us do in a lifetime.

She’s already serving us as a judge pro tem for this court, which helped her realize that she had something more to offer this community she’s joined.

At the same time, I like that Kathleen has not done her entire legal career here.

When she and George moved here four years ago, Kathleen had achieved a towering reputation and a bunch of awards as a lawyer in Seattle.

That to me not only demonstrates her competence in a tough, competitive arena — it also means that she doesn’t have long ties with attorneys here and with the agendas of influential individuals and organizations; she’s able to judge cases purely on the merits and on the law.

I also appreciate the passionate attachment that both Kathleen and George have for the environment, which is such a crucial component of the quality of life for all of us who live here and love this place.

Experience shows that judges in Island County tend to stay in their jobs for a long time.

Kathleen Petrich has a lot of years ahead of her to serve the county and serve it well.

Having her high energy, enthusiasm, and experience working for us in Superior Court would be a very fine thing for all of Island County.

John Graham

Clinton