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City lobbyist briefs council on three bills: millionaire's tax, juvenile sentencing, and mobile dwelling units
Summary
Contract lobbyist Shelley Holder reviewed three bills of interest to Gig Harbor— a proposed millionaire's tax (SB 6346), a juvenile rehabilitation bill (HB 2389) and a mobile dwelling-unit bill (HB 1443) — and council asked staff to follow up with technical analysis before taking positions.
Shelley Holder, the city's contract lobbyist in Olympia, briefed the Gig Harbor City Council on several bills and budget topics during the Feb. 12 study session.
Holder summarized the millionaire's tax proposal as "a 9.9% tax on incomes above $1,000,000," and said the bill as drafted dedicates 7% of the new revenue to indigent defense; 10% of that indigent-defense set-aside would be available to cities based on a formula that considers per-capita measures and misdemeanor public-defense caseloads. Holder said payment to cities under the current drafts would not be expected until about 2029 and that legal challenges or initiatives could affect timing.
On juvenile justice, Holder described House Bill 2389 (juvenile rehabilitation and sentencing) as an effort to expand alternatives to confinement and address racial disparities; she said the bill narrows confinement priorities, mandates a midpoint release review, and has prompted concern from some cities that it could shift public-safety burdens locally.
Holder also reviewed House Bill 1443, which would allow a mobile dwelling unit (travel trailer, tiny house on wheels, motor home) to serve as an additional residential unit on a property subject to local ordinance and utility-connection requirements. Holder noted the bill includes a two-year effective date for local compliance and said staff had flagged several technical concerns related to plumbing, utility connections and enforcement.
Council members asked for additional analysis before signing on to any coalition letters or formal comments. Several members said they wanted the police chief and relevant department staff to review public-safety and enforcement implications for HB 2389 and to see specific language edits for HB 1443 (for example, clarifying required plumbing and sewer connections). Holder said she would follow up with staff analysis and that the city could sign on to or oppose bills after council review.
