Legislative Priorities

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The City of Lynnwood proactively engages with Washington State Legislators, often with our 21st and 32nd district legislators, including the Washington State Congressional leaders, to advocate and convey our City’s legislative priorities. Many decisions that are made in Olympia and Washington, D.C., have direct or indirect impacts on our City’s ability to provide program and services to the people of Lynnwood. When our legislators know our City priorities and community stories from residents and business owners related to those priorities, they are better equipped to represent our interests in Olympia and D.C. Each year, Lynnwood Officials develop the City's Legislative Priorities. 

Our 2024 priorities:

Looking forward into 2024, Lynnwood’s Legislative Priorities are aligned to our community vision and our strategic priorities to support our current services and to build the future that the Lynnwood community seeks. We will accomplish this through realizing new efficiencies, forging partnerships, increasing equity, and remaining committed to fiscal sustainability and strategic priorities for a positive future. We ask for your continued support as leaders of Washington State, and thank you for your public service.

  • WASTE WATER TREATMENT PLANT MITIGATION EFFORTS: Population growth, an aging sewage sludge incinerator, and the Department of Ecology’s new Puget Sound Nutrient Permit have combined to require a very significant upgrade to Lynnwood’s Wastewater Treatment Plant, located on the shore of Puget Sound. A Facility Plan to study the future needs of the WWTP is almost complete. The ultimate plan to solve all needs for Lynnwood’s growth and Puget Sound water quality is estimated to cost about $200 million.

  • SCRIBER CREEK TRAIL REDEVELOPMENT: Critical safety and ADA upgrades to improve public access of this non-motorized connector to Lynnwood’s Regional Growth Center/City Center. Phase 2 of construction is underway. Phase 3 construction will begin in 2025. The City is seeking $3.5 million dollars to complete this $10 million dollar construction project.

  • 42ND AVENUE WEST: In the City Center’s core is the new 42nd Avenue West corridor. This future grid street will improve connectivity and pedestrian access in the developing City Center, catalyze urban development and create synergy for Town Square Park. Will also serve as an important connection to the Lynnwood City Center Station. In design phase.

  • FLEET ELECTRICICATION & CLEAN BUILDINGS: Provide funding and technical assistance as we develop and implement an energy management plan for municipal infrastructure, facilities, processes, vehicles, and equipment, in order to be a leader and partner in the community, reduce carbon emissions, adopt renewable energy sources, and meet the targets of the Clean Buildings Act.

  • SOUND TRANSIT LIGHT RAIL: Support the completion of Sound Transit 2 to the Lynnwood City Center Station, and the expansion of Sound Transit 3 through Lynnwood to Downtown Everett.

  • Direct funding to help offset costs for implementing new Blake/drug possession law including funding for social workers, co-responder teams, peer navigators/case managers, therapeutic courts, and diversion programs such as L.E.A.D. (Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion).

  • Address regulations to allow Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) to provide medical treatment within a correctional facility in order to provide a more holistic and therapuetic approach to custodial care.

  • Increase capacity and reduce the wait time for Basic Law Enforcement and Corrections Officers academies to get newly hired officers into training quicker which will assist with hiring and retention efforts.

  • Support efforts that help to increase the hiring and retention of female police and custody officers, such as offsetting childcare burdens on working families, officer wellness programs, and adjustments to LEOFF 2 pension system to make allowances for part-time officers to balance a career in public safety with home/life demands. 

  • Address the housing crisis by supporting a proactive and flexible approach for cities to increase housing supply and address affordability issues to meet the needs of the entire community.

  • Support current efforts of cities by programming low-cost financing of infrastructure needs to support Transit-Oriented Development to promote walkability and multimodal access to services.

  • Develop an approach to Transit-Oriented Development that integrates new transportation modes with employment and housing growth concurrent with Climate Change Comprehensive Planning requirements.

  • Support bicycle and pedestrian programs, Safe Routes to Schools, and other multi-modal funding in the Transportation Budget.
  • Protect and enhance the level of state-shared revenues provided to local governments.

  • Advance liability protections under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) for drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater systems to adhere to all other applicable laws and regulations related to PFAS (Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances).

  • Explore ways to reduce the impact of abusive public records requests and litigation.

Contact

Julie Moore
Assistant City Administrator
jmoore@Lynnwoodwa.gov
425-670-5023

Lynnwood's Representatives

Washington State representatives 

21st Legislative District

State Senator Marko Liias
State Representative Strom Peterson
State Representative Lillian Ortiz-Self

32nd Legislative District

State Senator Jesse Salomon
State Representative Cindy Ryu
State Representative Lauren Davis

US congressional Representative

Senator Maria Cantwell
Senator Patty Murray

2nd Congressional District

Congressman Rick Larsen

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