Dear friends and neighbors,
We are now nearing the end of week seven of the 2026 legislative session (only two weeks left)! This week marks Opposite House Policy Committee and the next two weeks of session will be a blur. I encourage you to stay updated by following me on Facebook for the most recent news.
I want to thank everyone who joined my seatmates Rep. Obras and Sen. Orwall this past weekend at our community town hall at Highline College. I had to go back to Olympia to release our upcoming budget proposal and was disappointed that I missed seeing everyone. However, I am looking forward to connecting with you after session to share updates from Olympia and find new ways to keep our communities safe and vibrant. You can contact me through the legislatures constituent mail system.
Proposed Supplemental Budgets Are Live
As Vice-Chair of the House Appropriations Committee, our 2026 supplemental operating budget updates the two-year budget passed last spring to reflect slower revenue growth, inflation, and rising caseloads. Economic uncertainty, including tariffs imposed under the Trump Administration, has strained state revenues, and H.R. 1 shifts more than $500 million in new costs onto Washington.
Even in this challenging environment, our $79 billion proposal prioritizes food access, health care, housing, and keeping critical government services functioning. We approached this budget with a clear lens: who will be impacted, and how do we prevent harm and worsening inequities?
Most cost increases reflect maintenance-level adjustments to programs already serving more people, including Working Connections Child Care, long-term care and developmental disabilities services, and the Washington College Grant. We maintain food assistance, preserve Apple Health, sustain housing and homelessness investments, restore reproductive health funding, and in partnership with the Ballmer Group, expand ECEAP by 2,000 slots.
To balance the budget, we made $2.4 billion in reductions over four years, implemented modest administrative cuts, relied on $457 million in new revenue and transfers, and protected $3.3 billion in reserves. This budget reflects fiscal responsibility while continuing the work to modernize our outdated tax code.
Transportation Budget Proposal
The proposed 2026 House transportation supplemental budget totals $16.5 billion and centers preservation, safety, and long-term fiscal sustainability. With fuel tax and vehicle revenues continuing to decline and project costs rising especially for megaprojects, the proposal takes a cautious, realistic approach to balancing near-term needs with future obligations.
The budget prioritizes maintaining roads, bridges, and highways, adding $300 million for preservation and maintenance, supporting regional mobility during Revive I-5, and funding new pedestrian and bicycle safety projects. It also continues investments in ferry construction and reliability, advances vessel funding to reflect updated construction timelines, and supports a dedicated preservation and emergency response team.
Key proposed investments in our district include $8 million in amenity and access improvements for Kent’s rapid ride bus facility, and $20 million for completion of the 224th corridor. The budget also includes $980 million for the Puget Sound Gateway project along SR 167 and SR 509, and $15.7 million for electrification of the Burien Transit Center and bus service.
As a follow up to our collective efforts last year to extend Martin Luther King Jr. Way along State Route (SR) 900 and State Route 515 (HJR 4000), the Washington State Transportation Commission (WSTC) voted unanimously in favor of extending MLK Jr. Way as proposed. Thank you so much for showing up as a community to honor Dr. King with a lasting tribute to unity, justice, equality, and inclusion in one of the most diverse regions of our state. And please be on the lookout for the official memorial signage to take effect this Juneteenth!
In addition, this year’s proposal protects key climate and decarbonization investments, including Climate Commitment Act–supported programs, federal NEVI electric vehicle funding, and free youth fares on Amtrak Cascades. It also acknowledges major upcoming obligations, including the state’s commitment to repair fish passage culverts.
Bonding is used carefully, relying on existing capacity and smoothing funds across biennia to avoid over-committing future budgets. Overall, the proposal reflects a disciplined approach focused on preserving existing infrastructure, improving safety and reliability, and planning responsibly amid uncertain revenues.
Capital Budget Proposal
The House supplemental construction budget builds on last year’s $7.5 billion 2025–27 capital budget, investing in housing, education, and critical infrastructure while creating jobs and strengthening communities statewide.
The proposal includes an additional $221 million for housing and homelessness projects focused on shovel-ready developments, bringing the two-year housing total to nearly $1 billion. It also invests $78 million in public school construction and funds urgent local and state needs, including flood response, tribal resiliency, and improvements at Western State Hospital and Department of Corrections facilities.
In the 33rd Legislative District, the budget provides $5.2 million in new appropriations. This includes $309,000 for Para Los Ninos Community Facility purchase and repairs, $258,000 for the Welcoming and Healing Center, and $52,000 for the SeaTac International Dining District Food Truck Village. The budget also invests $4 million in the African Diaspora Cultural Anchor Village, $252,000 for ADA upgrades at the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission, and $350,000 for the Burien Campus Indoor Shooting Range.
Climate Commitment Act investments remain a key component of the budget, including funding for habitat restoration, salmon recovery, clean energy and decarbonization, housing efficiency, and community-based projects.
Overall, the supplemental proposal makes targeted adjustments to meet immediate infrastructure needs while continuing long-term investments in housing stability, education, environmental protection, and economic growth.
Visiting with Mia
I am so excited to share a recent update in my “Visiting with Mia” series! My friend and fellow budget writer Rep. Timm Ormsby, who chairs the House Appropriations committee, sat down with me to talk about his time as a state representative and budget writer. We discussed the challenges our state is facing this year and the budget writing process. I hope you enjoy watching it as much as I enjoyed having him as a guest:
Looking Ahead
As we finalize supplemental budget proposals and move into the closing weeks of session, I will continue advocating for policies that expand housing access, protect working families, strengthen public safety, and uphold civil liberties.
In uncertain times, Washington’s values must remain steady. We must continue to work towards being a place where families can afford a home, children can access a world-class education, workers can earn fair wages, and every community – immigrant, Muslim, Pacific Islander, Black, Latino, Asian, LGBTQ+, and more – knows they belong.
In service,
Representative Mia Gregerson