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Lobbyist briefs council on 2025 Washington legislative session; public safety grants and housing funds available
Summary
Poulsbo's contract lobbyist summarized the 2025 legislative session: $100 million for local law enforcement grants, significant housing and homelessness investments, a 6-cent gas tax increase with a 2.5% local share, and $412,000 in capital funds for Poulsbo's Nordic cottages.
Poulsbo, Wash. — Brian McConaughey, the city's contract lobbyist in Olympia, briefed the council at the June 11 workshop about outcomes from the 2025 Washington state legislative session and described items of particular interest to Poulsbo.
Key takeaways from the session presentation
- Public safety grants: The operating budget included $100 million for a local law enforcement grant program (House Bill 2015) to support hiring of police and related public-safety personnel. The program requires a council-approved 0.1% sales-and-use tax option at the local level to be eligible; the scope of allowable uses was expanded during negotiations to include corrections officers, peer counselors and behavioral-health personnel working in co-response.
- Transportation and gas tax: State transportation revenue shortfalls prompted a 6-cent-per-gallon gas tax increase beginning July 1; McConaughey said 2.5% of the increase will be allocated back to local governments, a change staff emphasized as important.
- Housing and homelessness funding: The operating budget included roughly $1.2 billion for housing and homelessness efforts. Several capital investments included funding for preservation and mobile-home park efforts; Kitsap County and Poulsbo interests won local allocations, including $412,000 for Poulsbo's Nordic cottages project.
- Notable legislation affecting municipal matters: McConaughey summarized a set of passed and pending bills of municipal interest: co-response definitions and funding (HB 1811), a domestic-violence co-responder grant program funded in part by a marriage-license fee (HB 1498), condominium construction reforms intended to lower insurance/liability barriers (HB 1403), and a parking-minimums bill that currently applies to cities above a population threshold (SB 5184) and therefore does not immediately affect Poulsbo; several other bills failed and are expected to reappear in 2026.
Council reaction and next steps
Councilmembers asked about how various grants would be administered and whether Poulsbo should pursue some of the available programs (for example, public-safety grants and housing-related capital funds). Staff and McConaughey suggested the city evaluate eligibility for the public-safety grants if council wished to consider the sales-tax option required for some funding streams. McConaughey also reminded council that many bills that did not pass will resurface in the 2026 short session and that the city should remain engaged with legislators on local priorities.
Why it matters: Several enacted provisions create grant opportunities or revenue flows that could help fund local public safety, housing and transportation projects. Council directed staff to work with the lobbyist and explore eligibility for specific funds as appropriate.
