Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Kennewick lobbyist outlines 2026 legislative wins, revenue risks and local appropriations
Summary
Brianna Murray, the city's Olympia advocate, told the Kennewick City Council the 2026 session produced capital appropriations for two local projects but left uncertainty over a proposed income tax and sales/use tax exemptions that could reduce city revenues unless mitigation is enacted.
Brianna Murray, a lobbyist and partner at Gordon Thomas Honeywell who represented Kennewick in Olympia, told the City Council that the 2026 short legislative session produced relatively few enacted bills but several measures with notable local implications.
Murray said lawmakers passed 267 bills this session, the fewest since 2014, and that the majority party focused on a package that included a proposed income tax on very high earners paired with sales and use tax exemptions for items such as diapers, hygiene products and some services. "They also exempted those products from local sales and use tax, which means it will have an impact on the city's revenue collections," Murray said.
Why it matters: Murray warned the city faces an unclear revenue outlook because the state proposal pairs local sales tax exemptions with a tentative $200 million mitigation fund for cities and counties in 2029. "The current legislature…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
