Policy Council Recap: Sound Transit’s Funding Gap, World Cup Prep, and a Turbulent Legislative Session

Bellevue Chamber  |  April 9, 2026

The April Policy Council meeting covered three pressing topics: Sound Transit’s $35 billion ST3 funding gap and the East King County sub area equity debate, Seattle’s preparations for six 2026 FIFA World Cup matches, and a recap of a turbulent Washington legislative session.

Sound Transit Funding and East King County Sub Area Equity

Sound Transit is working through a financial realignment that will determine whether several East King projects move forward or are delayed. Board members told the Council the agency faces a $35 to $40 billion shortfall on ST3 delivery, with three scenarios on the table. For East King County, the decisive question is whether the South Kirkland to Issaquah light rail extension proceeds or gets shelved.

East King County contributes more revenue than its ridership share, raising the stakes as the board debates how sub area equity is calculated. The financial plan has to be adopted in May or June to preserve federal funding eligibility. The Chamber and City of Bellevue are coordinating aligned communications to make the East King County case before the board finalizes its plan.

Sound Transit is also weighing new revenue tools to close the budget gap, including a farebox revenue pilot, rental car taxes, long-term bonds, and federal Surface Transportation Authorization funding. 

2026 FIFA World Cup Seattle Preparations

The Council also heard from Dylan Ordoñez, SVP of External Affairs for the Seattle FWC 26 Local Organizing Committee, on Seattle’s slate of World Cup matches this June. The region is hosting six group-stage and knockout matches, including the U.S. Men’s National Team game on June 19, which sits in the top 20 globally for ticket requests and is one of only two USMNT host city matches. The Local Organizing Committee targets more than 80 percent of attendees arriving without personal vehicles, with fan events distributed across Seattle Center and the waterfront.

“This edition of the FIFA World Cup is going to be the largest ever. 48 nations across 16 host cities, hosted in three nations. We’re hosting six matches.” — Dylan Ordoñez, Seattle FWC 26 Local Organizing Committee

2026 Washington Legislative Session Recap

Lastly, Chamber Olympia lobbyist Lyset Cadena walked the Council through the 60 day session that ended March 12. The headline item is SB 6346, the new millionaires’ income tax the Governor signed, now the state’s largest single tax policy increase. Legal challenges are underway through former Attorney General Rob McKenna and the Citizen Action Defense Fund. SB 6231 also removed the data center tax exemption. Legislators passed a $1.1 billion transportation bond focused on highway preservation and ferry projects, and filing deadline is May 8 with half the Senate and all of the House up for reelection.

“It was a short 60 day session, but as I like to call it, it felt like the longest, shortest session that I have encountered in my career.” — Lyset Cadena, Chamber Olympia Lobbyist