Hello neighbors,
We’re at the end of our seventh week of session — and it’s been an exciting one! The Senate passed this year’s proposals for the operating, transportation, and capital budgets.
These multi-billion-dollar funding packages support our entire state, but as you read about them in the news, it can be difficult to see how they directly benefit your community. I wanted to highlight some of the investments specifically from our bipartisan transportation and capital budgets that you’ll see right here in our district and throughout Snohomish County. I’m excited these proposals allow us to:
- Maintain the historic charm of our district by preserving the Mukilteo Lighthouse.
- Improve safety and security at the Mukilteo Police Department.
- Invest in better biking and walking infrastructure along Highway 99 in Edmonds.
- Replace the SR 525 bridge over the railroad tracks to the Mukilteo waterfront to improve safety and connectivity between Old Town Mukilteo, the waterfront, Sounder platform, and the ferry terminal.
- Bring three new ferries to the Puget Sound region by 2032, the first two new hybrid ferries will operate on the Mukilteo-Clinton route.
- Provide flood relief to Snohomish County communities so we can repair roads, bridges, and other infrastructure now while we wait for potential federal disaster funding.
- Improve connections to the Ash Way Park & Ride and ensure access to the future light rail station near the 164th Street/Interstate 5 interchange.
- Purchase electric buses and build the charging infrastructure for Sound Transit and Everett Transit, reducing our emissions and strengthening our public transportation system.
As chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, I’m responsible for delivering a budget that addresses our entire state’s needs. However, as your senator, I’m always focused on ensuring all our budgets help our district’s communities thrive and grow. That’s why as we enter final budget negotiations in the last two weeks of session, I will fight for investments that will truly benefit everyone who calls our district home.
Thanks for attending last week’s town halls!
Sen. Marko Liias and Reps. Lillian Ortiz-Self and Strom Peterson at town halls during the 2026 legislative session.
I had a great time chatting with folks at last week’s telephone and in-person town halls. These are some of my favorite parts of session, because we get to hear directly from you about your concerns and priorities.
I heard a lot about how our state’s housing and affordability crises are affecting families in our district and got to share some of the meaningful ways we’re working to lower costs in our state. With only a couple of weeks left of session, we’re close to passing several proposals that would help make life more affordable, including lowering interest on medical debt, expanding the senior citizen property tax relief program, providing tax relief to people affected by last December’s flooding, and giving tax cuts for millions of working Washingtonians and small businesses.
If you couldn’t attend last week’s town halls, please do not hesitate to contact me with your ideas and concerns. Your voice is a critical part of our democratic process, and I always appreciate hearing from you about what’s on your mind. Email me at Marko.Liias@leg.wa.gov or call my office at 360-786-7640.
Talk soon!
