March 26, 2025

Cities face mixed outcomes in latest state budget proposals
The Senate and House released their budget proposals on Monday, with good and bad news for city priorities. State budget proposals would sweep the Public Works Assistance Account (PWAA)—a critical resource for cities—but also include funding for local public safety and housing priorities. Both proposals balance the budget gap with a combination of savings, new revenues, use of the Rainy Day Fund reserves, and delays of planned program expansions. Find more details on city impacts, including analysis of the transportation budget proposals, a side-by-side budget comparison, and AWC’s budget matrix. Remember to keep up on the latest legislative news for cities by registering to join our Friday City Action Calls for updates from AWC's advocacy team throughout the 2025 session.

2025 Annual Conference: Start strong with pre-conference sessions
June 24-27 | Kennewick
Unlock innovative ideas, build crucial skills, and stay ahead of city-related challenges at the AWC Annual Conference. With a wide array of city-focused sessions, this conference is the premier opportunity to discover new ideas and advance your city's priorities. Learn from experts, collaborate with peers, and return home with practical solutions and valuable connections. Explore our pre-conference offerings and register now!

Collaborative leadership training: Join our partners from the Ruckelshaus Center to learn how to embrace differing viewpoints and build consensus to solve real-world challenges.
Short Course on Local Planning: This foundational training from the state Department of Commerce provides a practical overview of land use planning in Washington state.
Mayor as CEO: Mastering your role as the city's executive: Designed exclusively for mayors in mayor-council governments, this session will equip you to better navigate your role as the city's executive.
Hanford Site mobile tour: Come explore the U.S. Department of Energy’s 580-square-mile Hanford Site, which was the primary producer of plutonium for national defense for over 40 years.

Electedofficialsflyer150 Candidate filing week is May 5-9
If you or someone you know is interested in running for office, now is the time to make it official. Online and in-person candidate filing opens through the Secretary of State on Monday, May 5, and closes on Friday, May 9. Here is some important information and resources:

Check out our guide, So you want to be an elected official..., full of practical information for people running for office in Washington’s cities and towns.
Visit our website to find important deadlines and links to more resources.
Save the date for our popular Elected Officials Essentials Workshop event on December 6.
Read and print this flyer, which includes all the important information mentioned above. Consider sharing the flyers at city hall and in council packets.
Be sure to follow the Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) guidelines for elections activity.

Small City Connectors are kicking off!
Multiple dates | Multiple locations
Small cities and towns face many of the same challenges as their larger counterparts but often have far fewer resources and staff to address them. AWC’s Small City Connectors offer a valuable opportunity for officials from smaller communities to build connections, share unique experiences, and gain valuable insights into serving their communities effectively. AWC staff will provide program updates, share resources for small cities, and answer questions from attendees. This is a free event (lunch provided) for elected officials and senior staff from cities and towns with a population under 5,000. The first Small City Connector will be in Raymond on Thursday, April 3. Register now!

Register for AWC’s 2025 legislative session recap
May 22 | Online
Session isn’t over yet, but we’re already preparing to recap session outcomes. Join the AWC Government Relations team in May for a full recap of city-related issues from the 2025 legislative session. AWC’s lobbyists will share the outcomes of AWC’s legislative priorities, summarize the impacts of passed legislation on cities, and talk through the adopted state budgets. Stay to the end to learn how to make the most impact during the legislative interim in preparation for 2026. This live webinar is for AWC members only. Register now!

Tomorrow! Join us to learn about serving on the AWC Board
March 27 | Online
Are you passionate about strong cities? Consider running for the AWC Board of Directors! You’re invited to an informal lunchtime Q&A with AWC CEO Deanna Dawson and AWC Board members to learn more about the role, responsibilities, and qualifications of an AWC Board Director. All city elected officials are welcome to attend regardless of intent to run this year. Register for the Q&A. Visit the Nominating Committee page to see what positions are currently open, learn more about the process, and apply by April 14.

Other news & resources

The 2025 AWC Salary and Benefit Survey is live! Find out how to contribute your city’s data to this important tool for local governments. More

Act now: Oppose diversions from the Public Works Assistance Account. Find talking points and call your legislators now. More

Sign in as opposed to AI bargaining bill at hearing this week. Find talking points and information on signing up for the hearing. More

New bills introduced on AWC legislative priority to lift the property tax cap—learn more about them: SB 5798 and HB 2049.

Confused by Treasury’s latest notice on the ARPA-SLFRF obligation reporting deadline? We break it down to help it make sense. More

Would you like to serve the public better by improving your government’s internal workflows? Lean specialists from the SAO’s Center for Government Innovation can help with free process-improvement training. Watch this testimonial and learn more.

AmeriCorps CivicSpark Fellow applications are open for local governments looking to host a community planning fellow starting September 2025. Join an info session on April 24. More

Submit comments on the Department of Health’s proposed changes to water system plan requirements by April 11. More

The JLARC lodging tax reporting system is open for reporting 2024 lodging tax expenditures. Due May 16. More

The JLARC public records reporting system is open for 2024 data. Cities that meet the $100,000 reporting threshold or that intend to report voluntarily have until July 1 to report. More

$27 million available to support rural communities in hiring technical assistance staff to advance transportation projects. Watch an informational webinar and apply by April 15. More

Explore WSDOT’s new online electric vehicle (EV) mapping tool to support planning activities for EV charging equipment and infrastructure in Washington. More

Public safety and revenue updates with Candice Bock and Sheila Gall
Following the house of origin cutoff, AWC Director of Government Relations Candice Bock and General Counsel Sheila Gall look at which bills are still making their way through the Washington State Legislature. Bock and Gall cover HB 2015 and SB 5775, which address public safety funding. They also discuss the Washington state revenue forecast, with a projected budget shortfall of $12-$15 billion, and review legislative proposals designed to close that gap, including revising the 1% property tax cap to account for inflation and population growth. Listen now.

AWC trainings & events

AWC: City Action Calls (AWC city members only) | Fridays during session | Online

AWC: Q&A session: Running for the AWC Board of Directors | March 27 | Online

Trust: Planning for reductions in force | March 27 | Online

AWC: Small City Connectors | Multiple dates | Multiple locations

April 3 | Raymond
May 29 | Dayton
May 30 | Chewelah
June 11 | Granger

RMSA: Police negligence: Review of cases & trends | April 17 | Online

Trust: SIMON employer portal training | April 30 | Online

Retro: AWC Retro Annual Meeting | May 7 | Yakima

AWC: Labor Relations Institute | May 7-9 | Yakima

AWC: Elected Officials Essentials webinar series | Multiple dates | Online

May 14 | Community budget engagement
September 10 | Understanding Washington’s ethics laws
November 12 | Comprehending quasi-judicial hearings

AWC: 2025 legislative session recap (AWC city members only) | May 22 | Online

D&A: Supervisor training | Multiple dates | Multiple locations

AWC: 2025 Annual Conference | June 24-27 | Kennewick

Other trainings & events

NLC: Municipal Bonds 101 | March 27 | Online

MRSC (with AWC & WSAC): Climate Action Peer Network meeting | April 17 | Online

NLC: Addressing the rise of incivility: A town hall event | April 22 | Online

MRSC: Public Records Act basics and more (virtual workshop) | May 8 | Online

MRSC: Municipal Finance Bootcamp | June 9-13 | Lynnwood

State Archives: Records management workshops | Multiple dates | Online

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