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City lobbyist previews 2026 legislative session; council to refine priorities including water intertie and transportation
Summary
City lobbyist Shelley Helder briefed the council on the 2026 short legislative session, outlined funding windows and recommended keeping a concise, city‑centric agenda; council members emphasized water intertie funding, Sedgwick/transportation priorities and defense against statewide mandates.
The council received a briefing Sept. 25 from the city’s contract lobbyist, Shelley Helder of Gordon Thomas Honeywell, on preparing a legislative agenda for the 2026 Washington legislative session.
Helder described the 2026 session as the second year of the biennium — a 60‑day “supplemental” year when the legislature typically adjusts the two‑year budgets rather than adopt a full new capital package. She explained the state has three budgets (operating, capital and transportation), noted the governor’s budget proposal is the starting point and said the state’s supplemental capital/bonding capacity for 2026 is limited (Helder cited $349 million in bonding capacity for the supplemental budget, compared with larger biennial capital totals). She advised the council to prioritize three to five concise, city‑centric items and to plan for requests that are either the finishing dollar on an already‑moving project or that have clear regional benefit.
Helder reviewed prior city priorities, including the community event center and Bay Street reconstruction (the council secured $1 million from the state LCP program last session). She suggested possible 2026 requests could include capital funding for an Old Clifton Road water intertie (to address municipal water supply), a targeted supplemental capital ask for an Orchard Street plaza or keeping Sedgwick roundabouts as the city’s long‑term transportation priority. Helder said initial delegation feedback favored projects that advance a water‑supply solution and asked for projects that can deliver in the near term or represent a last‑dollar need.
Council discussion reinforced those suggestions. Several council members urged retaining transportation priorities (Sedgwick and roundabouts) and adding a capital request for the Old Clifton water intertie to reduce borrowing pressure on ratepayers. A councilmember also urged continued defense against state mandates that impose new local costs (housing and related implementation demands). Members agreed staff should return with a draft agenda for consideration in October and adoption by November so lobbyists have direction before the January session.
What happens next: Staff will compile council feedback and return a draft 2026 legislative agenda for council review; staff and lobbyist will meet with the city’s state delegation once the council adopts priorities.
