Cynthia Sullivan

Sullivan dropped out of her graduate program at the University of Washington in 1983 to run for county council against Republican Scott Blair.^[1][2] She called her opponent an entrenched republican and declared that the county had become "a candy store for developers" because of the republican led council.^[1][2] Sullivan defeated Blair in the general election and credited her win to knocking on more than 1,000 doors in the district.^[1]

Early in her career, King County experienced significant population growth, and the council passed a comprehensive redevelopment plan.^[1][2] Sullivan became chair of the committee charged with creating the line between urban growth and other land uses.^[1] She focused on growing metropolitan areas while protecting rural, forested, and agricultural areas.^[2] Although she ran on slow-growth policies, Sullivan promoted pro-development and pro-mass transit legislation.^[1][2] Sullivan stated, "If growth management fails, it's for two reasons: You didn't build housing where you need it — which is in urban centers — or you didn't build the transportation system to link up those urban centers."^[2]

Sullivan and councilmember Greg Nickels endorsed and advocated for a 1988 advisory vote on developing a rail transit system, which voters overwhelmingly approved.^[2] This led to the failed vote 1995 vote on the creation of the Regional Transit Authority before the successful creation of Sound Transit in 1996.^[1][3] She would also play a leading role in the creation of a mass-transit bus system to entice more families into the cities.^[2]

Sullivan was a reliable progressive vote and was an ardent supporter of rights for gays, women, and minorities.^[1][4] She fought against citizen initiatives by anti-tax advocate Tim Eyman that would reduce the county's income from property taxes and vehicle license fees.^[2]

Sullivan faced no serious challenger until her 2003 reelection bid when attorney Bob Ferguson challenged her in the Democratic Primary.^[4] Ferguson critiqued Sullivan on her reliance on donations from developers, supporting Sound Transit, and her reluctance to shrink the council from 13 seats to 9.^[2] Ferguson called Sullivan an entrenched incumbent as she did in her first election, and touted his campaign knocking on 25,000 doors.^[4] In the September primary, Ferguson defeated Sullivan 50.37% to 49.63%, a margin of 143 votes.^[5]

After leaving the council, King County Executive Ron Sims named Sullivan the director of the Metropolitan Initiative.^[6]

While in office, Sullivan divorced her husband and became a single mother on the council.^[2]

She married market researcher Jim Hebert in 1999.^[2] In 2015, a jury ordered Hebert's company to pay $650,000 to a former employee after he told them to learn English or lose his job.^[7] Sullivan supervised the employee until she cut back on her work at Hebert Research in August 2011, and was able to communicate effectively with the employee.^[8] The couple would file for bankruptcy, with the biggest liability being the $650,000 judgment against Hebert Research.^[8]