OLYMPIA – Legislators in Olympia passed the biennial 2025-27 budget this session with a focus on education, housing, and supporting critical services like healthcare.
“This year, despite facing significant budget hurdles, we led with our values and put Washingtonians first,” said Rep. Jamila Taylor (D-Federal Way). “Success looks like all children having a safe place to learn. It means every person having access to safe and affordable housing. And it is meeting the healthcare needs of folks where they are at in our communities. Our capital budget invests in projects that support learning and health, and in doing so creates jobs and opportunities across our state.”
The state has three budgets: operating, which pays for day-to-day costs; transportation; and the capital budget, overseeing construction projects. Statewide investments in the $7.5 billion capital budget include:
Affordable Housing
The new two-year budget invests a historic total of $782 million in housing and homelessness programs. This includes a record-setting $605 million for the Housing Trust Fund, directly funding the construction of affordable housing. I was proud to champion $50M to specifically focus on expanding housing for families with individuals who have developmental disabilities. Most of these families are on fixed incomes with very limited resources.
K-12 and Early Learning
There is nearly $1 billion for K-12 school construction and early learning facilities. That total includes $202 million for small district and tribal compact schools, $151 million for school seismic safety, and $100 million for early learning facilities. The legislature also increased funding for special education and the Local Efforts Assistance fund totaling $200M. It also increases funds for materials, supplies and operating costs ($215 million), and maintains funding for school meals and summer EBT for kids ($45 million).
Behavioral Health
The budget includes $130 million in grants for projects expanding behavioral health care capacity in community settings, increased funding for 988 & Crisis Facility Grants for three centers, and funds the completion of the new forensic hospital facility at Western State Hospital.
For more details about the capital budget—or the state operating budget and transportation budget–visit fiscal.wa.gov.
There is more than $4 million in projects right here in the 30th district:
Capital Budget
- $1M for El Centro de la Raza Mercado
- $766K for Pacific Bonsai Museum renovations
- $1M for Fusion Family Center expansion
- $258K for Youth and Young Adult Shelter planning
- $1M for YMCA Camp Kilworth restoration
Transportation Budget
The new transportation budget includes $15.6 billion in projects and improvements to the state’s network of highways, ferries, trains, buses, and other alternatives.
“An efficient, reliable transportation network is critical to our state’s success,” Rep. Taylor said. “We move a lot of goods and a lot of people around every day on our roads, buses, trains, ferries, bikes – you name it. This budget continues to fund projects that keep Washington moving while maintaining our commitment to sustainability.”
There is just under $10 million in transportation project funding for the 30th district, as well as more than $900 million in regional projects.
Local
- $9.9M for City Center Access Project (Federal Way)
- $ 100K for South 314th St Improvements
Regional
- $902M for SR 167/SR 509 Puget Sound Gateway
- $2M for King County Metro ORCA Business Passport Ridership-Based Rebate Pilot
- $1.95M for SR 167/SR 410 to SR 18 Congestion Management
- $1.4M for KCM – Reduce Barriers to Employer Provided Transportation program
- $800K for KCM ORCA Youth Access to Transit
For more information about the transportation budget, operating budget, or capital budget, visit https://fiscal.wa.gov/
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