With Mercer Island steeped in the diversity, tolerance and inclusion movement we have a unique opportunity this fall to continue that tradition. I’m not a City Council historian so I can’t tell you the last time we had a millennial in elective office, but it’s long overdue. There is a large swath of Mercer Island, almost 30 percent of whom are renters and a good many of them feel detached from the issues that face homeowners. Joy Langley understands them and she understands their issues.

I’ve known Joy for about six years now and I remember seeing the same kind of energy, intensity and passion for public service in both Tana Senn and Debbie Bertlin.

Joy has a history of political involvement and I’ve had the pleasure of working with her in a variety of organizations, most recently to help pass the recent school bond issue that is bringing renovations and new classes to our Mercer Island school system. And, she has three children who will head to our school system as soon as they are old enough.

This is not a letter against anyone, it is a letter in support of someone I know, I respect and I think will do a great job helping the Island address the needs of downtown re-development as well as all of our desires to keep what makes the Island so special.

Carl Silverberg

Mercer Island