Legislative Priorities

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The City of Lynnwood proactively engages with Washington State Legislators, often with our 21st and 32nd district legislators, including the Washington State Congressional leaders, to advocate and convey our City’s legislative priorities. Many decisions that are made in Olympia and Washington, D.C., have direct or indirect impacts on our City’s ability to provide program and services to the people of Lynnwood. When our legislators know our City priorities and community stories from residents and business owners related to those priorities, they are better equipped to represent our interests in Olympia and D.C. Each year, Lynnwood Officials develop the City's Legislative Priorities. 

Our 2025 priorities:

Looking forward into 2025, Lynnwood’s Legislative Priorities are aligned to our community vision and our strategic priorities to support our current services and to build the future that the Lynnwood community seeks. We will accomplish this through realizing new efficiencies, forging partnerships, increasing equity, and remaining committed to fiscal sustainability and strategic priorities for a positive future. We ask for your continued support as leaders of Washington State, and thank you for your public service.

The City of Lynnwood recently constructed a Crisis Care Center, funded through a state contribution, to provide short term crisis stabilization services and address critical gaps in behavioral health care. Although the facility is ready to operate, operational challenges have delayed its opening. The state’s current Medicaid reimbursement model and funding mechanisms for the 23-Hour Crisis Model fall short of covering the costs required to operate these facilities, which must be staffed 24/7. Furthermore, the lack of funding to support non-Medicaid populations creates additional financial uncertainty. The City urges the state to take necessary actions to address these issues, so the Crisis Care Facility can be operational.

Click here for more information.

The City of Lynnwood requests $1.5 million to remove concrete control structures from Scriber Creek to restore the Creek to its natural state, improve fish passage, and alleviate upstream flooding. The structures were installed approximately 40 years ago to manage water flow and improve water quality. The structures have not only failed to meet those goals but contributing to significant upstream flooding that occurs during storm events.

Click here to find out more information.

The Poplar Way Bridge will provide an additional crossing over I-5, alleviating congestion on existing crossings and interchanges, and providing a multimodal connection. The City received $10 million in Connecting Washington for construction. The City also secured a $25 million federal RAISE grant for the project. The City requests that the $10 million is maintained, and that an additional $5 million is allocated to accommodate rising projects costs. If allocated, this additional funding would ensure that the project will go to bid on a timeline that complies with RAISE grant requirements.

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The City of Lynnwood requests full funding for grant programs within the Recreation and Conservation Office, including the Youth Athletic Facilities (YAF) grant program. The current YAF ranked project list includes a $595,000 grant to Meadowdale Playfield, ranked number 23 of 44.

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The Lynnwood Wastewater Treatment Plant was constructed in 1962 in a steep ravine, adjacent to a salmon-bearing stream, and discharges into the Puget Sound. New regulatory requirements from the Puget Sound Nutrient Permit aimed at improving the water quality of Puget Sound and operational difficulties require the plant to be upgraded, which is estimated to cost $250 million over the next 10 years. The City has increased sewer rates by 21% annually since 2023, and will continue increasing rates over the next six years to build reserves for the planned upgrade. The City asks for state and federal partnership to identify funding and mitigate the impact on ratepayers.

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In the City Center’s core is the new 42nd Avenue West corridor. This future grid street will improve connectivity and pedestrian access in the developing City Center, catalyze urban development and create synergy for Town Square Park. It will also serve as an important connection to the Lynnwood City Center Station. This project is in the design phase.

Click here for more information.

The City supports the Lynnwood Public Facilities District’s $4 million request to revitalize a 20-year-old convention center into a sustainable solar-powered event center, a hotel, affordable housing, and a community gathering space.

For more information visit the District's website. 

 

In addition to advocating for major City projects, the City of Lynnwood also focuses on policy advocacy in the following areas:

  • Housing and Homelessness
  • Transportation and Infrastructure
  • General Government
  • Safety
  • Youth Advocacy

See the full listing of policy advocacy here.(PDF, 928KB)  

Contact

Julie Moore
Assistant City Administrator
jmoore@Lynnwoodwa.gov
425-670-5023

Lynnwood's Representatives

Washington State representatives 

21st Legislative District

State Senator Marko Liias
State Representative Strom Peterson
State Representative Lillian Ortiz-Self

32nd Legislative District

State Senator Jesse Salomon
State Representative Cindy Ryu
State Representative Lauren Davis

US congressional Representative

Senator Maria Cantwell
Senator Patty Murray

2nd Congressional District

Congressman Rick Larsen

Adopted Legislative Agenda

Legislative-Priorities-2025-State.pdf(PDF, 3MB)

Legislative-Policy-Statements-2025-State.pdf(PDF, 928KB)

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