Bellevue Chamber Policy Council Speaker Invite Election Update

At the October 8 Policy Council meeting, the Chamber hosted Paul Graves, President of Enterprise Washington, for an election update before reviewing the East King Chambers Coalition’s 2025 state agenda and previewing our federal priorities. The discussion centered on how this year’s races could shape Olympia’s approach to taxes, spending, public safety, housing, energy, and transportation.

Elections Snapshot: Nine Special Races and What’s at Stake

Graves outlined an unusually active odd year with multiple special elections driven by mid-term departures and appointments. He highlighted a handful of competitive contests with potential to influence caucus dynamics and signal voter sentiment on recent policy directions.

“Believe it or not, in less than a month, we are going to have nine special elections for the legislature in five legislative districts.” — Paul Graves, President, Enterprise Washington

He noted races where the primary margin was close and spending is expected to be heavy, underscoring the need for robust voter education and turnout efforts. He also stressed how outcomes, even in single seats, can send clear signals on taxation and spending priorities in Olympia.

Messaging and Public Safety: What Moves Swing Voters

Graves emphasized that voter behavior is increasingly shaped by national dynamics, even in local races. He urged business advocates to connect policy impacts to real people.

“The best, best, most important thing you can do is talk about actual individual people, rather than businesses,” — Paul Graves, President, Enterprise Washington

State Agenda Updates: Taxes, Housing, and Energy

The Council reviewed updated coalition papers across budget/tax policy, housing supply and affordability, public safety, energy, and transportation. The direction remains consistent: do no harm to competitiveness, stabilize the policy environment, and prioritize implementable solutions.

On the budget/tax paper, the Council reinforced opposition to new or increased taxes that undercut job growth and competitiveness, and sharpened messaging that ties costs back to households.

On housing, members urged a “supply first” agenda, while stressing the need for stability in land use and development rules so cities and builders can deliver.

On energy, the Council backed faster delivery for generation and transmission, customer energy choice, and pragmatic near-term reliability.

Transportation Priorities: Capacity, Innovation, and Delivery

The transportation paper elevated near-term service improvements on high-demand routes and refined a concise list of critical projects across the region. The Council backed a statewide framework for autonomous vehicles, incentives-led expansion of charging infrastructure, and employer shuttle access to transit lanes to maximize system capacity. Members also called for tech-forward approaches to fish culvert projects and pointed to the need to prioritize high-impact sites and avoid diverting funds from essential maintenance and utilities.

The Council discussed positioning the Grand Connection among regional priorities to support transit-oriented development and job growth, with an eye toward building momentum for future state partnership.

Federal Preview: Permitting, AI, and Targeted Housing Tools

The Council previewed a federal agenda focused on accelerating project delivery, supporting innovation, and maintaining an effective housing safety net. Priorities include streamlining federal permitting, a workable national AI framework that fosters public-sector innovation and workforce upskilling, and targeted housing tools such as Housing Choice Vouchers and expanding the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit. Members also flagged Surface Transportation reauthorization as a 2026 opportunity to advance delivery-focused reforms.

Council members encouraged adding bipartisan, near-term measures that can unlock local supply and mobility—for example, targeted housing transactions and employer-led transportation solutions—as well as protecting core human services that reduce pressure on state and local budgets.

Conclusion

As a general update, Council Chair Kristi Tripple reported a recent policy win on public safety: the Chamber’s letter supporting mandatory minimum sentencing informed Council action.

The Council’s discussion underscored a pragmatic path: focus on voter education, fiscal restraint, predictable rules, and execution. For businesses, now is the time to share concrete stories that show how policy choices affect workers and families. For policymakers, clear signals on spending discipline, housing supply, energy reliability, and transportation delivery will support an environment where employers can grow. Subscribe to our newsletter for updates, and join our upcoming Policy Council sessions to help shape the regional agenda.