Preeti Shridhar Running for Port of Seattle Commission, Cites Track Record on Environmental Issues

Indian American candidate Preeti Shridhar, who advanced in a primary election for the Nov. 7 general election for the Port of Seattle, Wash., Commission, will battle former Seattle City Councilmember Peter Steinbrueck for the open seat.

The winner of the election will replace commission president Tom Albro for position 4. Shridhar, who has spent 25 years working for the cities of Seattle and Renton, has specialized in public-affairs programs for the environment and economy, the Seattle Times reported.Among her endorsers include Indian American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, The National Women’s Political Caucus of Washington, and the mayors of several South King County cities, such as Renton and Auburn, the Times reported.Shridhar, who came to the U.S. from India in 1986, has raised $35,000, mostly from other members of the local Indian American community, it said.

Steinbrueck, who spent more than a decade in the Seattle City Council, has been endorsed for the role by Albro, King County Sheriff John Urquhart and environmental leader Denis Hayes, the report said.While the two agree on a number of issues, there are some on which they differ.

With regard to airport growth, Shridhar wants to encourage the use of biofuels for planes to lessen the environmental impact from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on nearby communities as more flights are added, the report said.Additionally, she defends a flat tax on property owners as funding critical causes like workforce development. With rising property values, she’s optimistic the Port could still generate “a strong source of funding” without raising the tax further, the Times reported.The Indian American, according to the report, describes herself as a grass-roots candidate without major funding from special interests, arguing that her approachability and open-door policy will make her the best choice.

She also points to her long track record on environmental issues, dating back to efforts to increase recycling decades ago in Seattle, the report said.She wants to focus on inclusion for all including help for lower-income workers and immigrants, it said.

Source: Indiawest.com