Dear Kitsap neighbors,
We began session facing a daunting $12 billion budget shortfall. From day 1 to 105, I made every decision through the lens of how to best support Kitsap communities, from working families to students and seniors. I’m proud that after 105 days of late nights and tough choices, we passed a balanced budget for the 2025-27 biennium that delivers on our values and priorities.
It’s an honor representing the Kitsap community that raised me. You can stay in touch with me throughout interim by emailing me (Greg.Nance@leg.wa.gov) or following my Facebook page for updates.
Upcoming Town Halls
Over the next few weeks, I’ll be hosting a series of town halls across Kitsap to share budget updates and hear your complaints, questions, and suggestions.
Here’s the upcoming schedule with co-hosts for each event:
- Saturday, May 3, 10AM, Bremerton Norm Dicks
With co-hosts Mayor Greg Wheeler, Councilmember Jeff Coughlin, and
Councilmember Denise Frey - Sunday, May 4, 2PM, Poulsbo City Hall
With co-hosts Mayor Becky Erickson, Mayor Pro Tem Ed Stern, and Kitsap Commissioner Christine Rolfes - Saturday, May 10, 10AM, Bainbridge City Hall
With co-host Mayor Ashley Mathews - Saturday, May 10, 2PM, Kingston Village Green
With co-host Kitsap Commissioner Christine Rolfes - Wednesday, May 14, 6PM, Silverdale Central Kitsap Fire & Rescue (Newberry Hill)
With co-host Kitsap Commissioner Katie Walters
Protecting Puget Sound and beyond
I came to Olympia to advocate for Kitsap, and I’m proud of the work we did to pass a biennial budget that works for hardworking folks and families across the state. The Governor signed into law two bills I sponsored that focus on protecting our environment, from Puget Sound’s underwater ecosystem to wildfire prone areas across the mountains.
A budget that works for Kitsap
I’m not one to sugarcoat things. When we gaveled in on January 13, we knew the legislature was facing a $12 billion budget gap—and thanks to inflation and a turbulent economy, that number only grew with each update from our budget staff.
I’m also not one to shy away from hard work—something I learned from my parents, who raised three kids in Kitsap on a tight budget, just like most families I know.
Before leaving office in January, Governor Inslee proposed an all-cuts budget—$12 billion in cuts with no new revenue—to show just how devastating that approach would be for Washington. And he was right. An all-cuts budget would have hurt people across the state, from newborns to students to seniors. It would have left parents without childcare, taken food off the table for working families, and slashed funding for mental health and addiction treatment.
Passing that kind of budget would have been disastrous for communities across the state, including right here in Kitsap—and that’s not what you sent me to Olympia to do. That’s why I worked closely with the budget team to find places where we could make responsible cuts without harming the folks who rely on critical services.
It’s also why I voted yes on some new revenue proposals and no on others. I stood firm to oppose tax hikes on small business and job creation while proposing a homestead exemption for any new property taxes.
Overall, I’m proud of the budget we passed. Sure, there are things I would change, but as part of a legislature representing 49 districts across a geographically and economically diverse state, I believe our community received ample funding for new investments that will help Kitsap thrive.
Here’s a few highlights from the 2025-27 biennial budget:
Transportation infrastructure investments
- $485M to Fix our Ferries — vessel construction, maintenance, recruiting and training
- $23.3M for WSF system modernization, including ticketing, reservations, dispatch, and WiFi
- $5M Kitsap Transit Fast Ferries to better connect commuters and support small business
- $61M Freight Corridor SR 3 improvements to speed commutes and boost local supply chains
- $15M Warren Avenue Bridge pedestrian and safety improvements along SR 303
- $4.4M Safe Routes to School at View Ridge Elementary
Education, healthcare, and housing
- $955M invested in K-12 school construction and early learning facilities
- $605M Housing Trust Fund to build affordable housing statewide
- $45M Western Washington University Poulsbo campus expansion
- $42M West Sound Tech campus modernization to train Washington’s workforce
- $18.4M Suquamish Health Center to bolster critical care access
- $2.5M Helpline House food bank so every neighbor has enough to eat
- $927K Bremerton dental clinic to improve affordable care
I’ll share more on the budget at my upcoming town halls, as well as other legislation that I was proud to help pass this session including rent stabilization, increasing funding for special education, and public safety and justice for all Washingtonians.
Look forward to seeing you soon!
-Greg