David Foster briefs Renton council on 2024 legislative session: transportation delays, housing funds, ballot initiatives
May 07, 2024 | Renton, King County, Washington
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David Foster delivered a wide-ranging briefing to the Renton City Council on the 2024 state legislative session and what officials in Renton should expect heading into 2025.
Foster said the North 8th Street direct-access ramp was pushed past 2029 because of rising costs for projects statewide, but he noted there is planning money in the next biennium and that the project remains on the list. “It was pushed out, but happy that it’s still on the paper,” he told the council.
Foster summarized budget actions in the 60-day supplemental session: the housing trust fund received a substantial supplemental appropriation (about $127.5 million), and the legislature shifted money originally intended for a Rainier Avenue building to rent- and housing-repair programs after FAA constraints prevented construction. On behavioral-health funding, he said the session added roughly $83 million for facilities and some operating support.
On criminal-justice and tax measures, Foster said several proposals did not advance in the short session, including two sales-tax measures and a criminal-justice-related sales-tax proposal for officer hiring and retention. He also said the rent-stabilization bill did not pass after debate on possible caps.
Foster highlighted that the legislature approved sending three initiatives to the November ballot: one to repeal the capital-gains tax, one to repeal the carbon tax, and one on long-term care insurance. “If the capital gains tax were to pass, that will have an effect on the operating budget because those dollars currently go into early education and K–12 education,” he said, urging the council to monitor how ballot outcomes could affect state allocations to local governments.
Council members asked about likely carryover of bills into 2025 and how to sustain year-round advocacy. Foster advised early and ongoing relationship-building with legislators, calling advocacy a “full year” job and encouraging the city to begin outreach now to influence bills ahead of next year’s regular session.
The presentation closed with a short Q&A about which proposals are likely to return in 2025, and Foster said he expects some housing and sales-tax measures to be reintroduced.
Foster said the North 8th Street direct-access ramp was pushed past 2029 because of rising costs for projects statewide, but he noted there is planning money in the next biennium and that the project remains on the list. “It was pushed out, but happy that it’s still on the paper,” he told the council.
Foster summarized budget actions in the 60-day supplemental session: the housing trust fund received a substantial supplemental appropriation (about $127.5 million), and the legislature shifted money originally intended for a Rainier Avenue building to rent- and housing-repair programs after FAA constraints prevented construction. On behavioral-health funding, he said the session added roughly $83 million for facilities and some operating support.
On criminal-justice and tax measures, Foster said several proposals did not advance in the short session, including two sales-tax measures and a criminal-justice-related sales-tax proposal for officer hiring and retention. He also said the rent-stabilization bill did not pass after debate on possible caps.
Foster highlighted that the legislature approved sending three initiatives to the November ballot: one to repeal the capital-gains tax, one to repeal the carbon tax, and one on long-term care insurance. “If the capital gains tax were to pass, that will have an effect on the operating budget because those dollars currently go into early education and K–12 education,” he said, urging the council to monitor how ballot outcomes could affect state allocations to local governments.
Council members asked about likely carryover of bills into 2025 and how to sustain year-round advocacy. Foster advised early and ongoing relationship-building with legislators, calling advocacy a “full year” job and encouraging the city to begin outreach now to influence bills ahead of next year’s regular session.
The presentation closed with a short Q&A about which proposals are likely to return in 2025, and Foster said he expects some housing and sales-tax measures to be reintroduced.
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