Dear neighbors,
Thank you so much to everyone who called into our telephone town hall in April. Your presence and your voices are what keep this work grounded in real community needs. I left the call deeply moved and more committed than ever to fighting for equity in education, housing, and economic opportunity. If you couldn’t attend, you can click here or on the image below to listen to the event.
One of the most significant accomplishments of this legislative session was the passage of SB 5263, which ends the cap on special education funding that has been in place for more than a decade. I have worked to eliminate this harmful and, I believe, unconstitutional limit that prevented schools from receiving full state funding to support all students with disabilities. This year, we finally got it done. School districts could see more than $870 million in new funding over the next four years as a result. This is a historic step toward fully funding special education in Washington.
Building a Budget That Puts People First
At the same time, we were facing major budget challenges. That is why my colleagues, and I have introduced a revised progressive revenue plan that would raise nearly $12 billion over the next four years. This plan supports our schools, keeps our communities safe, and ensures that essential services remain available to the people who need them most.
One part of the plan includes changes to our Business and Occupation Tax, which will increase rates on high-profit industries and add a temporary surcharge on companies making more than $250 million each year. Another part of the plan creates a tiered capital gains tax that adds a surcharge on profits above $1 million and exempts smaller estates while increasing rates on larger ones, with all revenue dedicated to education.
The plan also includes repealing several ineffective tax exemptions that have no proven public benefit and cost our state hundreds of millions of dollars. These are exemptions I have long worked to eliminate. We also introduced legislation to fix the state’s property tax growth cap, which has prevented school funding from keeping up with inflation and population growth.
Local Victories, Housing Gains, & Consumer Rights
In addition to these statewide efforts, we delivered critical investments in our own community. I secured $1 million in funding to modernize the King County Water District 54 treatment facility. We also secured $1 million for the Des Moines Marina Steps and $515,000 for the Latino Civic Alliance Workforce Training and Small Business Hub. These investments support public health, economic growth, and community spaces for everyone.
Housing affordability remains a major concern across the state. We increased funding for emergency shelters, youth homelessness programs, and tenant legal support. We also passed a range of policy reforms to build more housing, protect renters, and ensure local governments comply with state housing goals. This includes rent stabilization, expanded development near transit, and stronger protections for manufactured home communities. I am especially proud of HB 1358/SB 5298, which I sponsored, that gives residents the first opportunity to purchase the land under their homes if it goes up for sale.
We also made major progress in consumer rights. I was proud to sponsor the Right to Repair Act, which the governor signed into law last month. This legislation gives consumers and small businesses the right to access the tools and parts needed to fix their own devices. A second bill I helped pass, SB 5680, ensures that people with mobility devices can get timely and affordable repairs. These laws reduce waste, save families money, and expand independence and dignity – especially for people with disabilities.
Finally, we passed legislation to help cover the high costs of wildfires from last season, ensuring the Department of Natural Resources and affected local governments receive the financial support they need to recover. This includes communities like Sammamish and Issaquah that were hit hard by the November bomb cyclone.
Stay In Touch
Thank you again for your ongoing support, your ideas, and your belief in what we can achieve together. I am honored to represent you and will keep fighting to put people first in every policy we pass. Please continue reaching out to me to share your thoughts on how we can continue to make the 33rd district a vibrant community for all our neighbors.
In Service,
Rep. Mia Gregerson