The Washington State Legislative Session is beginning on Jan. 9, 2023. To best advocate for SeaTac needs during the
session, the City Council created and passed a state legislative agenda at the Nov. 8 council meeting. This agenda highlights
the priority needs of the City that SeaTac staff and contract lobbyist will be advocating for with state legislators.
To give you some background, beginning on the second Monday in January, the state legislature convenes. Legislators are
scheduled to meet for 105 days which gives them time to pass bills and negotiate a two-year state budget for 2023-2025.
THE TOP FOUR PRIORITIES FOR SEATAC ARE AS FOLLOWS:
Increase Workforce Development Opportunities
The City of SeaTac is strongly invested in expanding workforce opportunities for residents and ensuring youth and young
adults may access local, family-wage jobs, including careers within the technical and trades industry. Other communities
have experienced immense success with pre-apprenticeship programs operated in conjunction with local labor partners and
education institutions. The City will seek state resources to expand opportunities for our residents to participate in these
types of programs.
Centralized SeaTac Community Park & Protecting Parkland from Development
The City of SeaTac provides a variety of amenities to support the health and well-being of residents, including outdoor
recreation facilities and greenspace. The City supports protecting all existing parks from any future non-recreation related
development. Though the City boasts an impressive 10 diverse public parks for residents and visitors to enjoy, the City
lacks a centralized park that is easily accessible from the SeaTac Airport. Recognizing the unique challenges of situating a
park in proximity to the airport, the City respectfully requests $300,000 for a feasibility study to determine where a central
park could be located.
Behavioral Health
The behavioral health system in south King County, like much of Washington State, is under considerable strain. The City of
SeaTac supports enhancements to the behavioral health system for the benefit of our residents, including support for
additional 9-8-8 crisis response teams and crisis triage and detox facilities. The City supports funding additional school
counselors to meet the behavioral health needs to students of all ages.
Defend Local Control
The best governmental decisions are those that are made closest to the people represented. Cities possess strong local
authority to provide for the safety and welfare of their residents, and the Legislature must abstain from restricting, mandating,
or otherwise interfering with local decisions.
The City will provide an update on the Legislative Session next year.
Original source can be found here.
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