Congratulations Mike, I’m thrilled for you and your family as you embark on this personal, political and professional journey.

Since I’m only one year ahead of you in the experience realm as an elected official, I’ll keep my advice short.

First, there’s only one team that walks into office with you today that will walk out with you at the end of 4,8, 12 years of your service: Your family. Take care of them first. The institutional infrastructure of the bureaucracy won’t fall apart if go home everyday in time for dinner.

Second, hear the silence as well as the noise. You ran to empower people to engage in their own community in a more meaningful way. And you won on that powerful vision. As you go forward, remember that listening isn’t only about hearing the noise of the public dialogue, it’s also about hearing the silence of what does not get said openly.

Our quality of life is suffering not because we are laying down streetcars or building a tunnel or any other specific policy, but because of systems challenges: Our workforce is undergoing a massive shift from skilled to unskilled; we have a 62% high school graduation rate; health care costs are crushing families; small and young businesses are struggling to create new jobs; and other structural issues that we as a society need to address.

Third, it’s time for courageous honesty about what level of government should provide what type of service. Governance battles are, as we all well know, really about power over tax dollars. Let’s rethink what the state, county and city should really be doing to improve the quality and efficiency of government operations. It’s a tired, old cliche that efficiency and reform are conservative ideas. We need real managers with strong financial and operational skills handling the billions in tax dollars.

Fourth, I applaud your passion for open and transparent government, a cause that we share. I support your efforts to open the doors fully and completely. Let’s form a next generation partnership between the city and state to unleash information for citizens to engage in Democracy directly.

Finally, when you need something from state government, pick up the phone and engage directly on a human level. When you come to Olympia, remember that 99% of the time YOU need something from state government, not the other way around. Help the Seattle delegation help you by showing respect and appreciation to the 129 of our legislative colleagues who don’t live in Seattle. The Seattle area is the economic engine of our state and everyone knows it, so take care not to suck the oxygen out of the room as you move Seattle’s agenda forward.

I look forward to working with you and I’m proud to be a partner in our collective effort to build community and quality of life.

Congratulations and enjoy this special day!

Your partner in service,

Reuven.

PS. Don’t forget to support Salmon Bay!