Dear Friends and Neighbors – 

I’m thrilled to invite you to a coffee meeting in the 48th Legislative District! But first, I want to take a moment to share the results from the survey we sent last month and update you on how I am addressing your concerns. 

We heard from 74 people and received 40 form responses from our survey, which asked you about your top concerns. You answered education, housing and homelessness, public safety, and taxation. Thank you for taking to the time to fill out our survey! I want to take a moment to share with you more information on these important issue areas.  

Education: 

As a parent and a member of the Higher Education & Workforce Development Committee, I know how critical it is that we invest in schools, teachers, and students. I’ve sponsored SB 5666, which establishes a public school-based mental health internship grant program, so we can better serve our students.  

I’ve also supported three important bills that prioritize our students and schools.  

  • SB 5192 allocates additional support to schools to help ensure they have basic materials and supplies.  
  • SB 5187 creates a more predictable and equitable system to ensure reliable transportation, particularly for students experiencing homelessness.  
  • SB 5263 increases special education funding. 

Students deserve the opportunity to reach their full potential, and these bills help schools and teachers provide students the resources they need to do just that.  

Housing and Homelessness: 

In the next 20 years, Washington state will need over 1 million more housing units to accommodate our growing population. Building affordable housing and tackling homelessness in our state is a priority for Washington State Senate Democrats. We’ve worked to find creative ways to build more units so we can house our neighbors. 

There are numerous senate bills that focus on housing. Here are just a few examples! 

  • SB 5662 – waives utility connection fees for emergency shelters, transitional housing, permanent supportive housing, and affordable housing, speeding up construction without straining local budgets.  
  • SB 5496 – prevents investment banks from buying excessive numbers of single-family homes. 
  • SB 5184 – caps minimum parking requirements, removes mandates near transit, and gives developers more flexibility — helping lower costs and encouraging walkable communities. 

I’m also proud to sponsor SB 5725 to expand affordable housing opportunities on community and technical college lands. This is just one approach to building more housing in our state.  

Public Safety: 

Public safety is an issue that I know is top of mind for many Washingtonians. I’ve met with firefighters, police officers, and other first responders to talk about this very issue. It’s clear they need more resources so they can do their job of keeping us safe and secure. I’ve introduced SB 5775, which expands local taxing authority to fund programs and services focused on public safety and community protection. This bill aims to create a source of revenue dedicated to funding public safety, benefitting communities across the state.  

Taxation and the budget deficit: 

Thank you for the inquiries we received from people concerned about the state’s budget deficit and taxation. Many options are on the table when it comes to balancing our budget that we are still in the process of considering. I’ve supported legislation that cuts property taxes for homeowners. SB 5770 and Senate Joint Resolution 8203 provide a property tax exemption for primary residences. Both these pieces of legislation will help lower- and middle-income homeowners keep more money in their pockets.  

Thank you for taking the time to share with our office what your priorities are. Please join us at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 15, at the Kelsey Creek Starbucks for a coffee meeting where we will talk more about issues our communities are facing in the 48th Legislative District. Here are the details: 

Lattes with Slatter

Saturday, March 15 

10:30–11:30 a.m. 

Starbucks at Kelsey Creek 

180 148th Ave. SE, 

Bellevue, WA 98007 

This event will be a chance for you to share your viewpoints and concerns with me over a latte or your favorite morning beverage! Our office would like to hear more from you because your perspective helps me better serve our communities. 

Last month we had two amazing pages join our office – Mackenzie Kirsch and Beck Antich. Mackenzie goes to Holy Names Academy and Beck goes to Interlake High School. They both participated in meetings with constituents and learned the ins and outs of the legislature. It was great having them in the office! 

Do you know any 14–16-year-olds interested in learning more about politics and state government? The Legislature’s Page Program is still accepting applications for 2025! If you have any questions or would like to request sponsorship, please reach out to me at Vandana.Slatter@leg.wa.gov. 

Thank you for the opportunity to serve the 48th Legislative District. Stay tuned for information on future district events!

I hope to see you on Saturday, March 15! 

Sincerely,  

 

Sen. Vandana Slatter