Fife lobbyist: continuing resolution strips $800,000 for Taylor Way; city will resubmit for FY26

Fife’s federal lobbyist told the City Council on March 18 that a six‑month continuing resolution Congress passed in mid‑March did not include community project funding, removing roughly $800,000 that had been identified for Taylor Way intersection improvements.

Justin LeBlanc, the city’s federal lobbyist, said the continuing resolution (CR) keeps government operations running at last year’s funding levels but omitted the individual congressional project allocations—referred to on the House side as “community project funding” and on the Senate side as “congressionally directed spending.” "The continuing resolution that Congress passed did not contain any of the community project funding... that includes about $800,000 I believe... for the Taylor Way, intersection improvements," LeBlanc told council.

The lost appropriation affects Fife’s planned Taylor Way work for the current fiscal year. LeBlanc said staff will resubmit the Taylor Way request for fiscal year 2026 and simultaneously seek funding for two other priorities: a grade‑separation project at the 50th/Union Pacific railroad crossing and an inclusive playground at Colburn Park. He said the city plans to coordinate the Taylor Way resubmission with Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland’s successor office (referred to in the meeting as Congresswoman Randall) and to pursue the 50th grade separation with the Senate offices, naming Senator Murray and Senator Cantwell as likely points of contact.

LeBlanc described the choice to resubmit as partly pragmatic: the new House office handling projects is still defining its processes, while the city has found responsive engagement from Congresswoman Randall’s staff. He also warned that the House had not yet clarified whether it will permit community project funding in FY26, and said the city will prepare applications as soon as forms are available.

City Manager Derek Matheson and council members asked clarifying questions about the grade‑separation scope and prior cost estimates. LeBlanc said design/engineering for the 50th/Union Pacific grade separation would likely need a roughly $3,000,000 earmark toward an estimated $6–7 million planning and design phase; he said that request would be coordinated with the Puyallup Tribe.

LeBlanc and staff framed the update as temporary: the CR removed the specific FY25 project funds, but the city intends to continue advocacy and resubmit in the FY26 appropriations cycle.

LeBlanc and staff did not present a final, approved FY26 priority list; they said submissions will be coordinated with the city manager and city staff offices.

Looking ahead, LeBlanc said the city expects clarification from House leadership on allowing community project funding for FY26 and will proceed to submit as forms and policies allow.

The council did not take a formal vote during the update; staff will return with revised appropriation requests and related materials when they are available.