West Richland lobbyist reports wins in 2025 session; council adds road-rights priority for 2026

Jennifer Ziegler, the city’s contract lobbyist, briefed the West Richland City Council on results from the 2025 Washington legislative session and outlined priorities for 2026.

Ziegler said the session had been “an unbelievably challenging legislative session,” and told the council the city’s top win was preserving funding for the SR‑224 Red Mountain project. She said the Connecting Washington package included about $30 million for the 2025–27 biennium and that the city successfully preserved “the last remaining segment” of roughly $15.9 million and arranged for that money to flow through the Washington State Department of Transportation to the city.

Ziegler also told the council the city secured $309,000 through the state capital budget’s local community projects program for a backup generator project. She described continued uncertainty in the state general fund outlook, noting declining revenue forecasts, recent tort payouts, and litigation challenging a digital-advertising sales tax that the legislature had relied on for revenue.

Why it matters: the preserved SR‑224 funding is intended to keep a multi‑year road project on schedule; the generator grant and potential capital requests could affect local infrastructure and public-safety operations.

Council direction and a new priority: after Ziegler’s presentation Mayor Pro Tembrink recommended reprioritizing the city’s legislative flyer—moving the Association of Washington Cities’ 1% property tax cap item lower—and adding a capital-community-project request to address a decades-old issue on Harrington and Grousecup roads that affects Benton Franklin Fire District 4 and Station 410. The mayor described the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) as unable to locate pre‑1955 documentation for an existing road right-of-way and said the city seeks legislative help to clear the title and realign the roadway. The council discussed an approximate funding need of $735,000, including $320,000 to purchase the right-of-way; the council agreed to add that request to its 2026 priorities and instructed staff and the lobbyist to work with the city’s legislative delegation.

Other matters Ziegler highlighted for 2026 included the state’s continuing general fund shortfall, several special elections that could change legislative margins, ongoing AWC priorities (preserving shared revenues, addressing housing implementation timelines and local transportation preservation), and potential impacts from federal action on programs such as Medicaid and food assistance.

Quotes and attribution: Ziegler said the session was “an unbelievably challenging legislative session.” Mayor Pro Tembrink told the council he supported moving the 1% property tax item down the priority list and backing the Harrington/Grousecup capital request. Councilmember Richard Bloom noted public confusion about property-tax rates and urged accuracy in public materials.

What’s next: the mayor and lobbyist will refine the city’s priorities for 2026, add the Harrington/Grousecup capital-community-project request, and continue communications with the city’s legislative delegation and the Association of Washington Cities.

Ending: Council members flagged state budget uncertainty and related risks to local revenues and services; no formal ordinance or budget action was taken during the meeting.