We welcomed 40 mayors at AWC headquarters in Olympia on January 12 to connect, share stories, and learn together during the legislative session. Read some of the hot advocacy tips and information we learned.
- Session is 105 days! There are new committees, new chairs, and still no days off. There are many new legislators on both sides of the aisle, while Democrats retain the majority.
- Recent revenue forecasts are positive, despite a slowing economy and the high interest and inflation pressure. The biggest predicted slowdown is in REET revenue, and international pressures continue to create economic uncertainty.
- Biennial budgets are on the docket to pass before session ends, including the operating, capital, and transportation budgets.
- There is strong policy focus at the capital on housing, workforce (hiring), drug policy, gun violence, reproductive rights, and behavioral health.
- With the Democrats in charge of all three branches of the state’s government, and no specific fiscal or pandemic crisis (short of something dramatic happening), session deadlines seem solid.
- There is a lot of support for a deep dive on housing—with legislators wanting to pursue a comprehensive approach around housing affordability and availability. On zoning issues, AWC’s focus is on identifying key priority areas where the
best practice is mixed housing types, as well as identifying steps (in addition to zoning) to move the need. We are excited to see elements of our package in the works in the House and Senate. It’s going to be a big year, and we’ll
need your involvement, for example, on the Governor’s Housing Bonds proposal; demonstrating the need and sharing your community stories.
- Good news on infrastructure funding with the Governor proposing full funding for the PWAA, but we need to keep the pressure on.
- Stay abreast of the issues and bills through the AWC Legislative Bulletin on Monday, city action calls on Fridays at 12:30 pm, and in-person events like City Action Days (Feb 15-16) and Lobby Day (March 16). Tell your city story. Ask your legislators to be your champion –
not just to offer support. That takes regular communication. Stories stick. Use your story to convey your city’s needs. Avoid jargon. Make it real for them. Find many more tips to engage using our
Strong cities advocacy guide, located on our website.
- Make quick check-ins a habit to use and communicate your legislative agenda. Text, email, or call to quickly engage and be sure to say thanks. Appreciation goes a long way. It’s a really intense time of year for them.
- Know your audience! We have 40 legislators with city/county backgrounds, but that means we have 107 legislators do not have a city/county background. Help them understand how legislative action impacts your community.
- The legislative community is glad to be back in person and excited to get back into the groove of things. Reach out to AWC if you need help plugging into the process.