Jan Drago
Encyclopedia
Jan Drago is an American politician from Seattle who has served on both Seattle City Council
and King County Council
.
Drago was a member of Seattle City Council
until her run run for mayor in 2009, having served since January 1994 on Seattle City Council. Her tenure includes four years as Council President and four years as chair of the Finance and Budget Committee from 1999–2003, steering the Council through four difficult budget cycles. In late 2008 Drago announced her intention to retire from the Seattle City Council and not seek another term.
Drago announced on May 26, 2009 that she was running for Mayor of Seattle, seeking to unseat two-term Mayor Greg Nickels
. Despite raising the second largest amount of money of the nine candidates seeking the office, she ultimately finished fifth in the August 2009 primary election and failed to advance to the November general election.
While a member of the Seattle City Council, Drago chaired the Council’s Transportation Committee which has jurisdiction over city-wide and regional transportation policies, planning and coordination of transportation issues. She vice-chaired the Housing and Economic Development Committee, and was a member of the Parks and Seattle Center
Committee. She represents the Council on the Puget Sound Regional Council
and its Transportation Policy Board as well as King County's Regional Transportation Committee, the Trade Development Alliance, the Seattle Convention and Visitors’ Board, PortJobs Board, Seattle-Chongqing Sister Association, Seattle-Taejon Sister City Council, the Sister Cities Coordinating Council, and the Sister City Association. For eight years, she has been a Council representative on the Civic Center Client Group.
Drago is also a board member of the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust, and is a present or past member of the Seattle Art Museum Executive Board, Downtown Seattle Association, Washington Council on Crime and Delinquency, Denny Regrade Business Association and the Denny Regrade Crime Prevention Council (former president), the Women’s Political Caucus, and Washington State Democratic Party. Prior to her election to the City Council, she served as chairperson to Mayor Charles Royer’s Homeless Task Force and vice-chair of Governor Booth Gardner’s Task Force on Homelessness. More than 16 years ago, Drago organized the City’s Downtown District Council, the first acknowledgment by the City that Downtown Seattle was composed of several residential neighborhoods, a fact no one would dispute today. Drago was one of the original founders of Sustainable Seattle
.
Prior to her election, she was a small business owner (Haagen Dazs Ice Cream Shoppes franchise owner, 1980–1991) and a schoolteacher (1973–1978). She is a graduate of Douglass College, Rutgers University
(B.A., Psychology). She and her husband Noel, residents of Pioneer Square, have four sons and four grandsons. Her favorite form of relaxation is working her plot in Seattle’s Judkins P-Patch.
Seattle City Council
The Seattle City Council is committed to ensuring that Seattle, Washington, is safe, livable and sustainable. Nine Councilmembers are elected to four-year terms in nonpartisan elections and represent the entire city, elected by all Seattle voters....
and King County Council
King County Council
The Metropolitan King County Council, the legislative body of King County, Washington, consists of nine members elected by district. The Council adopts laws, sets policy, and holds final approval over the budget...
.
Drago was a member of Seattle City Council
Seattle City Council
The Seattle City Council is committed to ensuring that Seattle, Washington, is safe, livable and sustainable. Nine Councilmembers are elected to four-year terms in nonpartisan elections and represent the entire city, elected by all Seattle voters....
until her run run for mayor in 2009, having served since January 1994 on Seattle City Council. Her tenure includes four years as Council President and four years as chair of the Finance and Budget Committee from 1999–2003, steering the Council through four difficult budget cycles. In late 2008 Drago announced her intention to retire from the Seattle City Council and not seek another term.
Drago announced on May 26, 2009 that she was running for Mayor of Seattle, seeking to unseat two-term Mayor Greg Nickels
Greg Nickels
Gregory J. "Greg" Nickels was the 51st mayor of Seattle, Washington. He took office on January 1, 2002 and was reelected to a second term in 2005. In August 2009, Nickels finished third in the primary election for Seattle mayor, failing to qualify for the November 2009 general election, and...
. Despite raising the second largest amount of money of the nine candidates seeking the office, she ultimately finished fifth in the August 2009 primary election and failed to advance to the November general election.
While a member of the Seattle City Council, Drago chaired the Council’s Transportation Committee which has jurisdiction over city-wide and regional transportation policies, planning and coordination of transportation issues. She vice-chaired the Housing and Economic Development Committee, and was a member of the Parks and Seattle Center
Seattle Center
Seattle Center is a park and arts and entertainment center in Seattle, Washington. The campus is the site used in 1962 by the Century 21 Exposition. It is located just north of Belltown in the Lower Queen Anne neighborhood.-Attractions:...
Committee. She represents the Council on the Puget Sound Regional Council
Puget Sound Regional Council
The Puget Sound Regional Council is a regional planning organization that develops policies and makes decisions about transportation planning, economic development and growth management in the four-county Seattle metropolitan area surrounding Puget Sound...
and its Transportation Policy Board as well as King County's Regional Transportation Committee, the Trade Development Alliance, the Seattle Convention and Visitors’ Board, PortJobs Board, Seattle-Chongqing Sister Association, Seattle-Taejon Sister City Council, the Sister Cities Coordinating Council, and the Sister City Association. For eight years, she has been a Council representative on the Civic Center Client Group.
Drago is also a board member of the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust, and is a present or past member of the Seattle Art Museum Executive Board, Downtown Seattle Association, Washington Council on Crime and Delinquency, Denny Regrade Business Association and the Denny Regrade Crime Prevention Council (former president), the Women’s Political Caucus, and Washington State Democratic Party. Prior to her election to the City Council, she served as chairperson to Mayor Charles Royer’s Homeless Task Force and vice-chair of Governor Booth Gardner’s Task Force on Homelessness. More than 16 years ago, Drago organized the City’s Downtown District Council, the first acknowledgment by the City that Downtown Seattle was composed of several residential neighborhoods, a fact no one would dispute today. Drago was one of the original founders of Sustainable Seattle
Sustainable Seattle
Sustainable Seattle is a non-profit organization that promotes sustainability in the Central Puget Sound. It was officially founded as a non-profit in 1991 by a small group of six people who quickly became twelve. Sustainable Seattle was the first organization to create regional indicators for...
.
Prior to her election, she was a small business owner (Haagen Dazs Ice Cream Shoppes franchise owner, 1980–1991) and a schoolteacher (1973–1978). She is a graduate of Douglass College, Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
(B.A., Psychology). She and her husband Noel, residents of Pioneer Square, have four sons and four grandsons. Her favorite form of relaxation is working her plot in Seattle’s Judkins P-Patch.