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Lobbyist summarizes 2025 session: Kenmore lands $3.5M for 60th Street sidewalks, misses other capital and operating asks
Summary
City lobbyist Shelley Helder reported on the 2025 Washington legislative session outcomes: Kenmore secured $3.5 million for the 60 First Avenue sidewalk project but did not receive capital funding for the Lake Point acquisition or $2.7 million requested for a digital permitting upgrade.
Kenmore’s contracted state lobbyist briefed the City Council on the results of the 2025 Washington legislative session, summarizing statewide budget constraints and specific outcomes for the city’s legislative priorities.
Shelley Helder of Gordon Thomas Honeywell told the council the 2025 session was the first year of the biennium and noted a multiyear revenue shortfall that constrained new spending. The adopted 2025–27 operating budget was described as $77.8 billion with $2.3 billion in reserves; the capital budget was substantially reduced compared with the prior biennium.
Helder listed Kenmore’s three top priorities for the session: a $3.0 million capital request for acquisition of Lake Point; restoration and timing of $3.5 million previously awarded for the 60 First Avenue sidewalk project; and a $2.7 million operating request for a digital permitting system upgrade in collaboration with the eCityGov Alliance.
"Ultimately, the project did not receive any funding in the capital budget" for Lake Point, Helder said, blaming constrained bond and capital capacity and intense competition for local community project awards. She described the city’s $3.0 million request as intentionally ambitious given historical averages for awards and said staff would continue to pursue competitive options in 2026 and beyond.
Helder reported success on the 60 First Avenue sidewalk project: funding of $3.5 million was restored and allocated to the 2025–27 biennium after advocacy by Kenmore’s first-district delegation. Council members thanked local legislators and Helder for that outcome.
By contrast, Helder said the $2.7 million operating request for a digital permitting system did not receive funding in the 2025–27 operating budgets. She said legislative champions supported the concept but that the tight budget and the rule allowing only one operating budget request per jurisdiction limited success in this biennium.
Helder also summarized other legislative outcomes the city supported, including passage of House Bill 1024 to extend lease lengths for the lodge at St. Edward State Park and House Bill 1791 to increase flexibility in use of real estate excise tax revenues (REET 1 and REET 2). She noted a proposed change to property tax growth limits did not pass. Helder recommended the city obligate any awarded funds promptly and continue interim planning for the 2026 session.
Council members asked whether shared revenues or other state-shared funds were reduced; Helder said state-shared revenues were unchanged but noted the Criminal Justice Training Commission academy funding shifted so the state would pay 75% (rather than 100%) of basic law enforcement academy costs — creating a local 25% cost requirement for new officers.
No formal council action followed the update. Helder encouraged staff to continue implementation planning and to express appreciation to legislators and staff who supported Kenmore priorities.
