Consultants brief Ellensburg council on 2025 state session and preparations for 2026

Consultants for the city briefed the Ellensburg City Council on how the 2025 Washington legislative session affected local governments and outlined steps the city can take in advance of the 2026 short session.

Columbia Policy Advisors’ Josh Weese told the council that lawmakers introduced about 1,900 bills in 2025, of which roughly 422 passed, producing an approximate 22% passage rate. He summarized the state operating and capital budgets and how those decisions are likely to shape local funding opportunities and constraints going forward.

Weese gave council members a short review of statewide priorities that intersect with city needs. He noted that the governor used line‑item vetoes when signing the biennial operating budget, and that the transportation budget was constrained by declining gas‑tax receipts. He said the Legislature indexed the gas tax to inflation, which is likely to postpone near‑term debate about switching to non gas‑tax revenue…