OLYMPIA — I could see they were fatigued. Our state senators and representatives had stayed up until the early hours that morning debating bills. But they made time for Thursday’s annual News Media Day in Olympia, which I attended with my newspaper colleagues from across Washington, including those from The Seattle Times and The Spokesman-Review.
Lawmakers spoke about the state’s major budget deficit, paired with uncertainty about the flow of federal funding, which is creeping its way into almost every public servant’s scope.
Here are observations I took away from my day talking with state officials:
- Everyone is figuring out how to fix the state deficit of between $6 billion and $12 billion, and they’re stressed.
- President Donald Trump’s cuts to federal programs, departments and positions are causing state leaders and workers to brace for impacts to their own departments.
- No one knows what will happen with tariffs, but whatever happens, Washington is poised to suffer. Ours is the most trade-driven state in the country, Lt. Gov. Denny Heck said.
- Transportation costs, including for construction, are rising faster than general inflation. The Senate Transportation Committee is grappling with budget cuts amid these rising costs. One member mentioned the effort to replace the Interstate 5 Bridge is on a list of projects whose costs are ever-increasing.
“We have costs that have gone through the roof. Some we can explain and some we can’t,” said Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima.
- Lawmakers, including many Republicans, said they were pleased by the early days of Gov. Bob Ferguson’s term. They told us that he is taking time to listen to both parties’ concerns and is finding a middle ground while making progress with bills.
- Housing is a major focal point for the rest of the session for both parties. A few bills I’m keeping an eye on are: a bill to promote new development near public transit stations; a rent-stabilization bill that would limit the increases in rent; a bill to make it easier to split up land to allow more density; and a bill to promote kit-built houses.
The Republican leaders said they want to create an environment hospitable to new development, and the rent stabilization bill will would undermine that. The Columbian will have stories about these bills if they pass.
