Policy Council
The Eastside’s hub for local, state and federal advocacy.
Mission & Scope
The Bellevue Chamber’s Policy Council is the Eastside’s hub for local, state, and federal advocacy.
Council members come from a wide range of industries and bring deep experience in land use, transportation, affordable housing, taxation, public safety, and the broader economy. Together, they set the Chamber’s policy direction, decide when to lean in on an issue, and coordinate with our subcommittees (PLUSH, Transportation, and the Bellevue Mobility Coalition) to turn strategy into action.
Voting members of the Policy Council are appointed to twoāyear terms. Any Chamber member at the Advocate level or above is eligible to serve on an advocacy subcommittee; those groups are open to qualified members by interest and expertise.
The Policy Council oversees the Chamber’s letters, testimony, and coalition work at City Hall, in Olympia, and in Washington, D.C., from housing and transportation investments to tax policy, public safety, and the safety net.
Policy Council meetings pair real-world operator insight with timely data. In 2025, members worked through election dynamics and budget math, refined EKCC’s positions on taxes and housing, urged near-term mobility improvements and supported a federal agenda that speeds delivery for transportation and housing projects. On public safety, the council’s letter to City Council helped focus attention on repeat theft sentencing. On economic competitiveness, the council continues to brief employers on revenue proposals and regulatory changes so they can prepare early and engage constructively.
11
Signature advocacy events each year.
50+
Committee meetings annually
70+
Advocacy letters submitted
32
Employers represented
What We’ve Done
March 30, 2026
Governor Signs Income Tax; Legal Challenge Underway
Governor Ferguson signed SB 6346, Washington's first income tax in state history. The 9.9% tax on household income above $1 million affects approximately 21,000 filers, one-third of whom live in the Chamber's geographic footprint. Pass-through businesses are affected, not just wealthy individuals. The Citizen Action Defense Fund immediately filed a constitutional challenge; a ballot initiative to repeal is also being organized.
March 26, 2026
Coalition Urged to Request Governor's Veto on Income Tax
At the March East King Chambers Coalition meeting, the Association of Washington Business encouraged member chambers and businesses to submit individual veto request letters to Governor Ferguson on the 9.9% income tax bill. The campaign aimed to build a documented record for future legislative advocacy.
March 16, 2026
Bellevue's Growth Agenda Comes Into Focus
The Policy Council heard from the City and King County Executive Girmay Zahilay on Bellevue's growth trajectory. The City approved $38 million toward affordable housing projects on city-owned land, expected to support hundreds of units. Bellevue Police established a dedicated light rail unit coordinating with Sound Transit ahead of the March 28 cross-lake service opening, and Grand Connection planning advanced.
March 13, 2026
Joint Statement on 2026 Legislative Session Conclusion
The Bellevue Chamber joined the Washington Roundtable, Association of Washington Business, Seattle Metropolitan Chamber, and Greater Spokane Inc. in a joint statement on the 2026 legislative session. The session concluded with a $1.2 billion supplemental transportation budget, though lawmakers rejected proposed Apple Health employer assessments and capital gains tax expansion. The coalition urged a return to budget discipline over annual tax increases.
March 11, 2026
Business Leaders Respond to New State Income Tax
Washington's legislature passed the state's first income tax, and five business organizations, including the Chamber, responded with a joint statement. The coalition expressed concern that annual tax increases have become routine rather than targeted solutions, with Bellevue Chamber President Joe Fain noting the state has added nearly 10,000 government employees while private sector job growth has stalled.
March 9, 2026
CEO Report: The Income Tax Will Become Law
Chamber President Joe Fain published a detailed analysis of the 9.9% state income tax on income above $1 million, projected to generate $2.3 billion annually by fiscal year 2029. The report noted only about 27% of new revenue was directed toward reducing other taxes, framing the measure as addressing a spending problem through taxation rather than budget discipline.
February 24, 2026
East King Chambers Head to Olympia for Chamber Day
Eastside chamber leaders, led by Bellevue Chamber President Joe Fain, conducted a legislative advocacy trip to Olympia. The delegation met with approximately a dozen state legislators and Lt. Governor Denny Heck across structured morning meetings and a working lunch, advancing regional priorities on economic competitiveness, housing, and transportation.
February 5, 2026
Policy Council Takes Formal Position on State Income Tax
The Policy Council convened to take a formal position on proposed income tax legislation (SB 6346). Members identified structural concerns including treatment of pass-through entities, potential marriage penalty, and interaction with existing tax policy. The position reinforced the Chamber's advocacy for fiscal discipline over new revenue mechanisms.
February 3, 2026
Business Coalition Raises Concerns on Proposed Income Tax
Five business organizations, including the Bellevue Chamber, issued a joint statement expressing concerns about a proposed state income tax. The coalition cited structural issues requiring revision and noted that state government has added nearly 10,000 employees post-pandemic while private sector job growth has stalled or declined in key sectors.
January 23, 2026
Chamber Testifies Against HB 2100
The Bellevue Chamber joined the Washington Roundtable, Association of Washington Business, Seattle Metropolitan Chamber, and Greater Spokane Inc. in opposing HB 2100, a proposed statewide payroll tax modeled on Seattle's policy. The coalition cited data showing Bellevue gained 4,000 jobs while Seattle lost 5,000 since adoption of Seattle's payroll tax, and noted employers had already absorbed $9 billion in new taxes from the prior legislative session.
January 16, 2026
Policy Council Supports BSD Levy Renewals
The Policy Council voted to support two Bellevue School District levy renewals on the February ballot: an Educational Programs and Operations Levy at $0.75 per $1,000 assessed value and a Technology and Capital Projects Levy at $0.54 per $1,000. The vote reflects the Council's recognition that strong schools are essential to Bellevue's economic competitiveness and talent attraction.
January 14, 2026
Policy Council Kicks Off 2026
Newly elected Policy Council Chair Joe Woods convened the Council for a 2026 kickoff that included City of Bellevue priorities from Mayor Malakoutian and Deputy Mayor Hamilton, and an Olympia legislative preview covering anticipated tax, labor, and environmental proposals. The Mayor noted that only 11% of Bellevue's workforce lives in the city, framing economic policy around commuter and employer needs.
January 7, 2026
East King Chambers 2026 Legislative Kickoff
The East King Chambers Coalition held its annual Legislative Kickoff, convening 11 Eastside chambers with state legislators and business leaders. Priorities for the session included housing policy (condo reform via HB 1403), organized retail theft enforcement, behavioral health investment, energy reliability, and transportation funding. Rachel Smith of the Washington Roundtable moderated.
2025
State tax opposition and BudgetBreakdown.org
During the 2025 legislative session, the Policy Council led the Chamber’s work to oppose new and increased business taxes, including a proposed state payroll tax that would have added significant ongoing costs for employers. Working with partners, the Council coordinated joint letters and policy statements, helped launch BudgetBreakdown.org to highlight unsustainable state spending growth. These efforts helped prevent the payroll tax from passing reinforcing that tax changes must support jobs.
2025
Mandatory minimums for repeat theft
The Policy Council formally urged Bellevue City Council to adopt Ordinance 25-588, which established mandatory minimum sentences for repeat theft offenses. When Council later voted 6 to 1 to direct staff to draft the ordinance, the Chamber highlighted how business input, ViBe polling, and regional best practices shaped a balanced response to retail theft and chronic offenders, framing the ordinance as a tool to support a safe and predictable environment for residents, workers, and employers.
2025
Sessions on budget, trade, crime and road-usage charges
In 2025, Policy Council meetings focused on state budget choices, crime, rent control, and transportation funding tools. Budget negotiations, trade policy, and crime dominated the discussion as members assessed how decisions on revenues and sentencing in Olympia would affect the local economy. Another 2025 meeting examined road-usage charges and rent control, with the Chamber’s Olympia lobbyist briefing members on evolving proposals and their potential impact on Eastside employers and residents.
October 8, 2025
Election update and 2025 state agenda
At an October 8, 2025 Policy Council meeting, the Chamber hosted Paul Graves, President of Enterprise Washington, for an election update. Council members reviewed the East King Chambers Coalition’s 2025 state agenda and previewed federal priorities, focusing on how the election could shape state policy on taxes, spending, public safety, housing, energy, and transportation.
2025
Provider spotlights and safety-net focus
Policy Council meetings also featured briefings with PorchLight and Plymouth Housing, bringing homelessness and supportive-housing providers into the conversation. These discussions connected land-use and funding decisions to on-the-ground service work and reinforced that public safety and livability required both accountability and a functioning safety net.
2024
Preparing for the 2025 legislative session
The Policy Council met to prepare for the 2024 election and the 2025 legislative session. Members heard from voter-behavior experts, City officials, and Chamber advocacy staff about the likely policy landscape, then walked through Chamber priorities on taxes, public safety, housing, and transportation. These discussions informed both the Chamber’s state-session strategy and the EKCC’s 2025 policy platform, ensuring that Eastside employers spoke with a coordinated voice in Olympia.
2024
Renewal Food Bank tour
Under the Policy Council’s umbrella, the Chamber continued to highlight the social infrastructure that supported a strong economy. Councilmembers toured Renewal Food Bank, spotlighting food security as a key element of community resilience and giving the organization a platform with the business community.
2023
Bellevue budget negotiations, transit safety and tax structure
The Policy Council worked with Chamber leadership to advocate for a budget that prioritized public safety, fiscal responsibility and competitiveness. The Chamber supported adding 23 full-time officers to the Police Department’s Transit Division to strengthen safety in transit corridors and business districts as the region grew. The Council also worked with City leaders to adjust a proposed Business and Occupation tax structure so it did not disproportionately affect Bellevue’s technology sector.
2023
Bellevue Parks Levy and Livability Bellevue PAC
The Policy Council helped shape the Chamber’s support for the Bellevue Parks Levy that went before voters in 2023. Through the Livability Bellevue PAC, the Chamber commissioned polling on parks, growth, and costs, and crafted a levy strategy that balanced growth and quality of life, emphasizing how parks, trails, and open space support employers’ ability to attract talent. The PAC also helped shape the levy’s financial mechanism and allocation so the measure would be financially responsible.
2022
Washington, D.C. Fly-In launch
In 2022, the Chamber launched its annual D.C. Fly-In, with Policy Council leadership helping to shape the agenda. The Fly-In brought Eastside business, civic, and nonprofit leaders to Washington, D.C. to meet with federal agencies. It elevated local priorities on housing, transportation, infrastructure, trade, and workforce, and led to direct requests from federal delegation staff. The Fly-In also helped solidify the Chamber as a key partner for the City of Bellevue on federal strategy.
2022-2025
Federal advocacy focus areas
From 2022–2025, Policy Council federal advocacy prioritized: funding the Affordable Connectivity Program for digital equity/broadband; expanding LIHTC and the Section 8 Choice in Affordable Housing Act; workforce/education upskilling, retraining, and STEAM pipelines; updated Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement; broader access to TIFIA loans and infrastructure banks; stable USMCA trade; and permitting and surface-transportation reforms benefiting Eastside projects.
2022
Nonprofit and community investments
Policy Council helped elevate nonprofit funding priorities in Washington, D.C. by advocating directly to Senator Patty Murray on behalf of the Boys and Girls Club of Bellevue when key funding sources were at risk. The Chamber organized storytelling and outreach that highlighted the organization’s community impact and made the case for continued federal support for youth programs.
2021-2026
Building strategic relationships with City stakeholders
Since 2021, the Policy Council and Chamber leadership have built relationships with all seven Bellevue City Councilmembers, serving as a consistent, trusted voice for business during major decisions. They also engaged boards and commissions, supporting pro-business appointments to influence policy early, and maintained strong ties with the City Manager’s Office, including during the City Manager selection, to keep competitiveness and employer needs central.
2021
East King Chambers Coalition leadership
The Policy Council strengthened the Chamber’s leadership in the East King Chambers Coalition, uniting 11 Eastside chambers to align legislative priorities. The Coalition hosts annual kickoff and wrap-up events, an Olympia lobbying day with Eastside lawmakers, and a shared legislative agenda adopted by each chamber. This coordination amplifies Eastside employers’ voice on transportation, taxation, housing, public safety, and more, multiplying Policy Council impact.
2021
Polling and public opinion groundwork
Early polling work, followed later by the Chamber’s annual ViBe Check Polling, gave the Policy Council a clearer picture of how residents thought about housing, transportation, taxation, and public safety. The Council used this data to show how often business-community positions aligned with voters, to shape talking points and testimony at City Hall and in Olympia, and to guide where the Chamber deployed limited advocacy time and resources.
2021-2026
Supporting ViBe Check Polling
The Policy Council supported the Chamber’s ViBe Check Polling, an annual voter-insight survey that measured public sentiment on top regional issues. Polling results underpinned many Council positions and letters by grounding advocacy in clear, current voter data.
2021-2025
Backing safety-net and community assets
Throughout 2021 to 2025, the Policy Council backed key safety-net and community partners, including Renewal Food Bank, PorchLight, Plymouth Housing, and the Boys and Girls Club of Bellevue. This work helped ensure that economic-development advocacy remained connected to a functioning social safety net and overall community resilience.
2021-2025
Keeping the focus on implementation
The Council also kept a strong focus on implementation. Through letters, briefings, and coalition work, it helped ensure that state and federal programs, from broadband and housing tools to infrastructure bills, translated into real projects and investments on the Eastside rather than remaining only on paper.
“The Bellevue Chamber Policy Council brings together business voices to focus on jobs, livability, and efficient government—helping our communities flourish in every sense. The Eastside’s strength as an economic engine depends on this spirit of collaboration and forward-thinking leadership that sustains both our businesses and our quality of life.” - Policy Council Leadership
Policy Council Leadership
What We’re Working On
Bellevue Chamber CEO, Joe Fain, being interviewed on the Chamber's policy efforts (Left), and Jodie Alberts shares eastside housing needs with Representative Suzan DelBene, on the Chamber's annual DC Fly-in (Right).
The Policy Council continues to work on several initiatives that will shape growth in Bellevue over the next few years:
- State Income Tax Response: Governor Ferguson signed Washington's first income tax into law on March 30, 2026. The Chamber is tracking two legal challenges: a constitutional lawsuit led by former AG Rob McKenna and a potential ballot repeal initiative with a signature deadline in early July. BudgetBreakdown.org remains our primary public education tool on state spending growth.
- Payroll Tax Defense: HB 2100, a proposed 5% statewide payroll tax on compensation above $125,000 per employee, did not pass in 2026 but is expected to return in 2027. The Chamber testified against the bill alongside four business coalition partners, citing Bellevue's 4,000-job gain compared to Seattle's 5,000-job loss since adoption of Seattle's payroll tax.
- Growth Agenda and Housing: The Policy Council is tracking $38 million in City-approved affordable housing investments, new state housing legislation (SB 6026 allowing housing in commercial zones), and Grand Connection planning. The Council continues to advocate for feasibility-focused housing policy over mandates.
- Light Rail Safety and Transit: With East Link cross-lake service launching March 28, the Council is monitoring Bellevue Police's new dedicated light rail unit and coordinating with Sound Transit on station-area safety.
- Data Center Tax Impact: SB 6231 eliminates the sales tax exemption for data center refurbishment projects effective July 1, 2026. The Chamber is assessing the impact on Eastside tech employers with large server infrastructure footprints.
Committee in Action
News & Updates
PLUSH Supports Bellevue’s Affordable Housing Strategy
The Bellevue Chamber’s PLUSH Committee recently submitted a letter in support of the City’s draft Affordable Housing Strategy, while also encouraging several important refinements.
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Advocacy - Bellevue Chamber
March 23
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PLUSH Committee Calls for a Flexible Path to Housing Affordability
On March 16 the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce’s PLUSH Committee submitted a letter to the Bellevue City Council
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Advocacy - Bellevue Chamber
March 16
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City Briefs PLUSH on Affordable Housing Strategy Update
On Tuesday, February 17, City of Bellevue housing staff briefed the Chamber’s Permitting, Land Use, Sustainability, and Housing (PLUSH) committee on the City’s draft Affordable Housing Strategy update
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Advocacy - Bellevue Chamber
February 17
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Policy Council takes formal position on proposed state income tax
Advocacy - Bellevue Chamber
February 4
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Housing strategy front & center in PLUSH Committee letter to Council
The Bellevue Chamber’s PLUSH Committee recently submitted the following letter to the Bellevue City Council ahead of its February 3 meeting. Take a look below!
Advocacy - Bellevue Chamber
February 2
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Policy Council votes for support of Bellevue School District levy renewals
Advocacy - Bellevue Chamber
January 26
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Resources & Letters
Policy Council Directory
Click here to view all of the members of our Policy Council.
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Apply to JoinEligibility: Advocateālevel members and above may join this committee and must be appointed by the Council.