To the editor:

“Brilliant and fearless.”

That’s how I describe Rasham Nasser to friends who have not yet met her. I spent 20-plus years as a city planner in several beautiful waterfront communities with issues very similar to those on Bainbridge, and I knew soon after meeting Rasham, and observing her impressive analytical and communication skills during a number of community debates, that we needed her on our city council.

My support for Rasham is also based on her demonstrated ability to intelligently assess issues, her instinctual understanding of the principles and concepts of sustainability, her honesty and authenticity, and, of course, her obvious love for our community. Hearing her speak publicly on issues ranging from land use to the local economy to affordable housing, I’ve been impressed with both her preparation in making a case as well as her eloquence.

What I know about Rasham is that she will consistently show up with both her head and her heart in the game and represent those on the island who understand that social justice, economic development and environmental stewardship can go hand-in-hand and, indeed, can be one and the same. This is what sustainability means.

On the matter of growth, Rasham demonstrates refreshing insight, knowing that we must understand the island’s carrying capacity in order to know when and how to grow and at what pace. She is passionate about fiscal accountability to taxpayers; she understands the urgent need for a groundwater management plan; she knows how to nurture a thriving local economy and she is committed to addressing the need for affordable housing. She has the skills, temperament, wisdom, and spark that I would like to see in all our leaders.

In the big picture, if we are to succeed as a community and society, I want Rasham on the team leading the charge.

JANE SILBERSTEIN REIN

Bainbridge Island