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Home | Office Holder | Albert Rosellini
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Rosellini was born in Tacoma, Washington, the only son of Italian immigrants. He worked his way through college and law school at the University of Washington. At the age of 29, he was elected to the Washington State Senate as its youngest member, representing the 33rd district in south Seattle, the home of many Italian immigrants. A New Deal Democrat, Rosellini served from 1939 to 1957, eventually rising to the rank of majority leader. He was elected governor in 1956. As governor, Rosellini coupled personal charm with decades of political know-how, developing a reputation for decisiveness and ability to move ahead on long-stalled projects."He got things done," wrote longtime Seattle Times political columnist Don Hannula in 1996. "His legacy is everywhere." In order to promote economic development, Rosellini established a state department of commerce and championed the Seattle World's Fair in 1962. He shepherded construction of the longest floating bridge in the world, the Evergreen Point Floating Bridge, which was opened in 1963 and carries State Route 520 over Lake Washington from Seattle to Medina. The bridge is named after him. In addition, he was a tireless supporter of higher education, strengthening the state university system and developing a system of junior colleges. During his time in office Rosellini also reformed the state budget process and balanced the budget. Rosellini was defeated in his bid for a third term as governor by Republican Daniel J. Evans in 1964. Rosellini made a comeback bid in 1972, but while he captured the Democratic nomination, he was again defeated by Evans. In his 1997 biography, Rosellini, Immigrant's Son and Progressive Governor, author Payton Smith wrote: "He was attracted to issues where progress could be made and measured... Budget reform, economic development, transportation, higher education and institutions were the core matters to which he devoted his talent and governmental know-how." In order to support projects, he raised the state sales tax from 3.5 cents to 4 cents, prompting Republicans to dub him "Taxellini."After leaving office in 1965, Rosellini returned to the practice of law and also became a political consultant, specializing in matters of the liquor and entertainment industries. Over the years, he has served as an elder statesman of the state Democratic Party, mentoring political figures like current Washington governor Christine Gregoire and former governor Gary Locke. In 2003, Rosellini was back in the news briefly when he was reported to have delivered campaign contributions to Seattle City Council members on behalf of strip-club owners, one of whom was a convicted racketeer. Rosellini was never charged in the scandal that became known as "Strippergate." These days, "The Gov" still attends fundraisers for candidates and helps raise money for charities, particularly the Washington State Olympics Committee, which he chaired for many years. As the Pacific Northwest has flourished, many local academics, media columnists and political veterans have concluded that Rosellini was the state's best governor of modern times. "His record," wrote Seattle Times columnist Danny Westneat in 2005, "makes most governors after him look like slackers." On January 21, 2010, Rosellini celebrated his 100th birthday, becoming one the few U.S. state governors ever to reach the age of 100. |
