5 Things You Need to Know This Week: Policy & Plays
1. Engage w/ Our Electeds: Party First, Policy Later
Put partisanship aside for a hot sec at our Holiday Elected Leaders Party — lovingly called "HELP" — and then turn it back on a month later to grill our representatives before they head into the legislative session. It's called balance!
Holiday Elected Leaders Party (aka, HELP!): December 8
Hosted by our partners at the Xfinity by Comcast store, let's celebrate, y'all.
East King Chambers Coalition Legislative Kick Off: January 6
Join EKCC and our state electeds as we kick off the new year & session.
2. Live from DC
Our advocacy brethren are finishing up their annual Fly In over in DC as you read this, but we wanted to give you a taste of what they've been up to.
Yesterday was their Hill day — meeting with Rep. Baumgartner, Rep. Smith, Rep. DelBene, Sen. Murray, and Sen. Cantwell — and today they had (or are having) meetings with the U.S. Chamber, the Department of Transportation, the Software Information Industry Association, and a tour of the Bureau of Engraving & Printing.
3. For the Sake of Theatre: Join Us!
Just a few years ago, Theatre33 opened its doors to a relatively bare-bones performance space, entirely based on a dream and some talented community members. Now, the organization has expanded and refurbed, with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to perform abroad on the horizon. (But more on that later.)
A bilingual theatre toggling between performances in English and Russian, Theatre33 has been amping up its programming since moving into their BelRed space in 2023, now offering classes and productions for thespians of all ages and abilities.
Their production arsenal has grown to an eight show season for 2025-2026 — including a mix of contemporary favorites and cultural mainstays — and next summer, the group will be headed to Scotland for the world-famous Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Hopefully, with the community’s help!
Help us celebrate Theatre33’s new-and-improved space this weekend on Saturday, December 6 as we pop over for a ribbon-cutting during their Annual Winter Craft Fair! Details on the event can be found here.
4. A (Not So) Lil' Pre-Session Proposed Payroll Tax
Ahead of Rep. Shaun Scott’s press conference Tuesday afternoon regarding the most recently proposed statewide payroll tax, the Bellevue Chamber wanted to reiterate its stance on the proposal, and address some new, startling aspects.
Specifically, our President & CEO Joe Fain has voiced strong opposition to this new statewide payroll tax proposal that would exempt employers already paying Seattle's local JumpStart payroll tax.
Under the proposal, companies that pay Seattle's JumpStart tax would not pay the new state tax. Employers in every other city, however, would be required to remit the tax to the state.
"In practical terms, this means taxpayers and employers from every corner of Washington would be directly subsidizing the City of Seattle's budget," said Fain. "Seattle would keep the revenue it raises locally, while payroll tax dollars from businesses in Bellevue and communities across the state would be turned over to the state. Despite not paying the tax Seattle would still receive the benefit.”
5. Giving Tuesday, On a Delay
Speaking of Tuesday ... Giving Tuesday was earlier this week, so we wanted to double back and re-highlight the nonprofit members of the Chamber. When getting philanthropic we hope you consider these organizations and the fine folks running them!
There are over 50 of them, so we won't flood your inbox with their logos and missions here, but we urge you to take a look and browse around using this blog.
Member News:
- Did Someone Say Nutcracker?: Our members over at Emerald Ballet Academy are embracing the holidays in full force, and in the most dance-laden way we know: By putting on a production of The Nutcracker! Read the article here — courtesy of the EBA team — to get a sense of what all goes into such a theatrical feat.
- Wheel the World: Visit Bellevue has partnered with Wheel the World, the leading accessible travel platform dedicated to empowering travelers of all abilities to explore the world with confidence. Take a look at the site here.
- Hometown in Good Housekeeping: Bellevue has been named the “Best Sustainable and Scenic City” in the 2026 Good Housekeeping Travel Awards, a recognition that underscores Bellevue’s commitment to environmental stewardship, abundant urban green spaces, innovative transportation, and a thriving culinary scene. See for yourself here.
- Oops! All Taxes!: Recent reporting by The Olympian’s Simone Carter revealed that Washington is among the top states losing taxpayers the most frequently on net from interstate migration, with the Evergreen State saying goodbye to another taxpayer every 29 minutes and 55 seconds, ranking No. 43 in the nation. Read the article here.