Rep. Chris Strow (R-Freeland) who represents the 10th District in the state legislature (Island County and parts of Snohomish County) will resign his seat next week to take a fulltime position with the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) in Seattle. Strow told the Associated Press today that the heavy time pressure of campaigning and serving in Olympia was taking too much time away from his family. He also cited the low pay for state elected officials.
Strow will replace Angela Kerwin who left her position as principal economic policy analyst for the council to move to California last month. Angela was one of the chief PSRC staff members who worked on the Prosperity Partnership’s high demand degree package which was enacted last session by the legislature. Strow is likely to continue that work as the Partnership continues its work to stregthen higher education budget and policy in the state.
Before his election to the state House, Strow served on legislative and congressional staffes including a stint as chief of staff for the then U.S. Rep. Jack Metcalf (R-WA). His wife Mary Lane, is the communications director for Dino Rossi’s gubernatorial campaign.