September may seem quiet in Olympia because the Legislature is not currently in session, but decisions being made right now will help determine what lawmakers face when they return in January.
For residents of Washington’s 24th Legislative District this is an important time to pay attention.
State agencies are preparing their 2027-29 budget requests. The next state revenue forecasts will help determine how much money lawmakers actually have available. Laws passed during the 2026 legislative session are beginning to take effect. Meanwhile, communities on the Olympic Peninsula continue dealing with transportation, education, housing, employment and affordability issues that can look very different here than they do along the I-5 corridor.
The question we should be asking is simple:
Will Olympia recognize those differences when it makes the next round of decisions?
Washington Still Has a Budget Problem
Perhaps the biggest issue hanging over the 2027 Legislature is the state budget.
Washington’s Office of Financial Management reported in June that weaker economic activity had reduced projected state revenue by nearly $1 billion compared with the February economic forecast. Even after accounting for legislation passed in 2026 that increased revenue, OFM warned that lawmakers are expected to face a larger shortfall for the upcoming 2027-29 budget than previously projected.
That deserves attention.
Washington does not necessarily have a problem because the state collects no money. State government collects tens of billions of dollars. The larger question is whether the growth of government programs and spending commitments can continue when the economy and state revenue are not growing fast enough to support them.
The state’s own instructions to agencies preparing their 2027-29 budgets are revealing. OFM says even an optimistic revenue outlook may provide enough money to maintain existing programs, but not necessarily expand them. Agencies have therefore been told to focus their requests on existing programs rather than expanding services.
For taxpayers, that should raise another question:
Before asking Washington families and businesses for more revenue, shouldn’t Olympia carefully examine what we are already spending?
That conversation will become increasingly important as the 2027 legislative session approaches.
Rural Transportation Is Not Optional
Transportation is another place where LD24 residents experience state policy differently.
In metropolitan areas, transportation discussions frequently involve buses, light rail, bicycle infrastructure and other alternatives. Those options are much more limited across the Olympic Peninsula.
Here, a dependable vehicle and functioning highways are necessities for many families.
US 101 is not simply another highway. It connects communities, workers, hospitals, businesses, tourists, freight and emergency services throughout much of our district.
There is some good news.
WSDOT is completing a $31.4 million pavement preservation project covering nearly 50 miles of US 101 in Grays Harbor County. Work is also taking place around the Olympic Peninsula on US 101, US 12 and State Routes 104, 109, 112 and 116.
Those projects are important investments.
But they also remind us why rural transportation funding needs to remain a priority when Olympia starts looking for places to cut spending.
A delayed road project on the Peninsula is not simply an inconvenience. It can affect businesses, freight, school transportation, emergency response and someone’s ability to get to work or a medical appointment.
Jefferson County residents also understand how important Washington State Ferries are. The Port Townsend-Coupeville route is part of the transportation network connecting the Peninsula to Whidbey Island and beyond, and ferry reliability remains an issue worth watching as transportation budgets are developed.
Our Schools Face Rural Costs Too
Education will also be part of the coming budget debate.
Our rural school districts operate under circumstances that are very different from densely populated districts.
Students may travel significant distances to school. Districts must purchase and maintain buses, hire drivers, buy fuel and cover routes over a large geographic area, sometimes for relatively small numbers of students.
That means enrollment numbers alone do not tell the whole story.
When Olympia considers education funding, lawmakers need to understand the fixed costs associated with operating rural schools.
A bus does not become substantially cheaper because there are fewer students sitting in it.
A 30-mile route does not become shorter because enrollment declined.
A school building still needs heat, maintenance and staff.
As the state begins another difficult budget-writing cycle, LD24 residents should be asking our legislators to protect the basic services that allow rural students to receive the education Washington’s constitution promises them.
New Requirements Are Coming for Employers
Businesses also need to pay attention to legislation that has already passed.
Washington’s new Immigrant Worker Protection Act will be fully implemented October 1.
Among its requirements, employers must notify workers within five business days if a federal agency issues notice that it will inspect I-9 employment eligibility records. Employers must also provide notification following inspection results under circumstances outlined by the law.
The Attorney General’s Office has released a required workplace poster, model notices and employer guidance.
Whatever someone’s opinion of the policy behind the legislation, compliance is now something employers need to understand.
That can be particularly significant in rural communities where a small business may not have a human-resources department or compliance officer. The owner, office manager or bookkeeper may be the person responsible for keeping track of another state requirement.
This is an area where Olympia needs to remember that regulations that seem manageable to a corporation with a legal department can create very different burdens for a ten-person business.
Paid Family Leave Is Changing Too
Washington’s Paid Family and Medical Leave program is another issue worth watching.
The 2026 premium rate is 1.13 percent of taxable wages. The Legislature passed changes this year affecting how contributions are allocated, while another law changes the way future premium rates will be calculated beginning in 2028.
The new system is intended to maintain program solvency while building a four-month financial reserve by 2030.
Maintaining a solvent program is obviously important.
But taxpayers and employers should continue watching what happens to premium rates. When government creates a benefit, it also creates an obligation to fund that benefit responsibly over the long term.
September Is the Time to Start Asking Questions
The Legislature will return in January, but the groundwork for that session is being laid now.
Agency budget requests are being prepared. Revenue forecasts are coming. Legislative proposals will begin taking shape. Interest groups will be preparing their priorities.
Residents should be doing the same.
We should be asking our representatives:
What programs are producing measurable results?
Where can state government become more efficient?
How will proposed taxes or regulations affect rural families and small businesses?
Are transportation dollars reaching rural communities where driving is often the only realistic option?
Does education funding recognize the true cost of operating rural schools?
And before creating another program, has Olympia determined how Washington will sustainably pay for the programs it already has?
These are not Republican questions or Democratic questions.
They are taxpayer questions.
The 24th Legislative District deserves representation that understands that governing Washington means representing more than Seattle, Tacoma and the I-5 corridor.
Clallam County matters.
Jefferson County matters.
Grays Harbor County matters.
Our schools, roads, employers, workers, seniors, families and small businesses deserve a voice in the decisions being made in Olympia.
The 2027 legislative session may still be several months away, but now is the time to start paying attention, asking questions and telling our legislators what rural Washington needs.
Government works best when citizens are watching.
Sources
Washington Office of Financial Management, June 26, 2026, “June revenue forecast shows mixed picture, adds to expected shortfall in coming budget cycle.” citeturn0search3
Washington Office of Financial Management, 2027-29 Agency Budget Instructions, including guidance that agencies focus on maintaining existing programs rather than expanding services. citeturn0search10
Washington Office of Financial Management, explanation of Washington’s revenue forecasts and state budget process. citeturn0search13
Washington State Department of Transportation, “Olympic Peninsula 2026 Construction,” covering work on US 101, US 12 and State Routes 104, 109, 112 and 116. citeturn1search6
Washington State Department of Transportation, June 17, 2026, US 101 Grays Harbor County pavement preservation project, approximately $31.4 million covering nearly 50 miles. citeturn1search7
Washington State Department of Transportation, Port Townsend-Coupeville ferry route travel information. citeturn1search2
Washington Attorney General’s Office, September 1, 2026, employer guidance for the Immigrant Worker Protection Act. citeturn0search0turn0search12
Washington Legislature, Second Substitute Senate Bill 5292, changes to Paid Family and Medical Leave premium rate setting and reserve requirements. citeturn1search0turn1search12
Washington Employment Security Department, explanation of 2026 Paid Family and Medical Leave legislative changes. citeturn1search8
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