This was part of my August 13, 2022 newsletter:
https://www.a2elnel.com/post/city-council-newsletter-august-13-2022
Ward 4 People & Places You Should Know
If you live in Ann Arbor or pay any attention to politics at the state level, you already know our current State Representative Yousef Rabhi. He is finishing up his third term as a member of the State House; he was first elected to that office in 2016. Rabhi was previously a member of the Washtenaw County Commission for six years and famously won his first election to that office by a single vote. In the State House, Yousef serves as the Democratic Floor Leader and is known for being a consistent progressive champion leading on policies like universal single payer healthcare, holding polluters accountable, reforming our criminal justice system and tackling climate change.
I first met Representative Rabhi in 2018, when I decided to run for City Council and began attending various events and gatherings of “political people.” Since first meeting him, I’ve come to know just how passionate and thoughtful he is in identifying problems in our community and advocating for solutions. There is very little intersection between the work of City Council and that of State government, but Yousef has always been generous with his time when I had questions about issues like food assistance BRIDGE benefits during the pandemic, short-term rental regulation, and state health insurance reform.
Due to term limits, Yousef Rabhi is not able to run for re-election to the State House. Instead, this November, residents in eastern Ward 4 will see Yousef Rabhi on the ballot as a candidate for the Washtenaw County Commission. He is excited to return to this role as he looks to build on past achievements at the county such as creating the first municipal ID program in Michigan, launching a dental clinic for families that lack access to care and initiating several policies to protect the environment.
Yousef was born in Ypsilanti and has lived in Ann Arbor for close to thirty years. He attended Northside, Bach, Clague and Huron High. He has a degree in Environmental Science from University of Michigan. He has lived in Ward 4 since 2013.
Yousef Rabhi is a role model for public service: someone who has spent the last 12 years listening to residents, problem solving, and advocating for policies that meet needs in our community. He is someone you should know!