OIR director Hashimi briefs Seattle council on 2026 short session: budget trade-offs and local wins

Mina Hashimi, director of the city's Office of Intergovernmental Relations, told the Seattle City Council on March 23 that a fast-moving 60-day legislative session concluded with a mix of wins for city priorities and budget choices likely to affect local governments.

Hashimi said the governor's proposed plan sought to close roughly a $2.3 billion shortfall and that the enacted operating budget — she cited a $79,400,000,000 figure for the state's operating plan — relies heavily on one-time solutions, reserves and account transfers. "The reality of the shortfall quickly consumed legislative discussions and ultimately the state's $79,400,000,000 operating budget relies heavily on 1 time fixes," she said.

OIR staff walked council members through Seattle-specific outcomes. The supplemental capital budget included…