Edmonds educator and local budget watchdog Elizabeth Scott has announced she is running for State Representative in Snohomish County's 21st District. Scott, a Republican, said she is running for Position Two. The election will be held in November 2010.

"Our State Legislature is a mess of special interests and self-dealing politicians who aren't listening to us. Our economy is in big trouble. We are failing too many of our kids. Nearly one-third of our kids are not even finishing high school. Businesses are closing and people are losing their jobs. Our state was ranked the third worst nationwide in the survival of small businesses even before this terrible recession began, and now our official unemployment is at 9.5 percent - nearly double what it was a year ago. It's time for big changes in Olympia," Scott said.'

"In the next year and a half, I intend to meet and hear from as many people in our communities as I can. It's about time somebody started listening to them because it is tragically clear that our lawmakers and state bureaucrats are stone deaf to their concerns. I won't be," she said. "The people of Lynnwood, Mukilteo, Edmonds, Mountlake Terrace and south Everett matter. Their concerns will be my concerns. I intend to fight for every one of them."

Scott, 43, is a former educator who taught English as a Second Language in China and the United Arab Emirates and in Illinois, South Carolina and Washington State. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Linguistics from Seattle Pacific University and a Master's Degree in Teaching English as a Foreign Language from Southern Illinois University.

This year, Scott served on the Edmonds Citizens' Levy Review Committee, where she fought to convince City Council to set sensible spending priorities in the city's budget. In recent months, she has been a featured speaker at several Tea Party events in Everett and Monroe. She was a featured speaker at the Greater Seattle Independence Day Tea Party in Everett. She also has served as a volunteer for education efforts, including two years as a judge in speech and debate tournaments for local middle and high school students, and as Dictionary Project coordinator in Snohomish County. She also has been active in Republican Party activities.

Elizabeth and her husband Paul have three children.

www.elizabeth4state.com