Enhance Transportation
Fund construction of Rivergrove Pedestrian Bridge (Transportation).
This project helps alleviate congestion on SR 162 with multi-modal connections to schools and services. It also provides a lahar evacuation route and mitigates pedestrian issues the State faces with SR 162/410 construction and routes. The State invested in this project’s design and Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) funded $5 million, half the construction funding needed. Sumner continues to pursue more funding from various sources.
Fund construction of Stewart Road Bridge replacement (Local Capital Projects).
After 30 years, this critical project for transportation, flood protection and treaty rights was fully funded from local, county, state and federal sources, but bids came in higher than expected. Sumner is pursuing additional funding from various sources, including our own transportation impact fees, to meet critical timelines and keep the project on track.
Fund $1.1 million for City culvert under SR 410/166th interchange.
Sumner successfully fixed theSR 410/Traffic Ave interchange, helping relieve the burden on WSDOT, and we’d like to do it again with this interchange. Improving culverts for salmon passage is a critical step in upgrading this second interchange.
Support $2.5 million for SR 167 implementation plan (WSDOT).
The effort to “finish what we started” applies to plans too. Keep SR 167 improvements moving forward before the initial plan falls out of date. When balancing funding needs across the state, SR 167 investments can’t be forgotten or raided, and WSDOT evaluated the SR 167 improvements as the most effective projects in the 167/405 project area.
Provide Reasonable Funding, Support for Cities
Protect against liability expansion; avoid policies that would drive additional claims and litigation, especially in law enforcement, public safety, and human resources. Explore tort reforms to reduce liability and related costs for cities, particularly for traffic-related claims. Recent legislation drove insurance premiums so high that major brokers have completely left the state. (AWC)
Adjust 1% cap on City property tax collection to instead be tied to inflation and population growth factors, with a limit not to exceed 3%. Councils will strive to keep costs and taxes as low as possible, but the 20-year legacy of this financial imbalance is taking its toll with deferred road, facility projects adding up. This adjustment still limits taxes but gives councils the option, if needed, to better align revenue with cost increases for critical services. (AWC)
Fund parks and recreation (RCO). Increase funding for projects through the Recreation & Conservation Office, including Sumner’s application to improve the regional Bill Heath Sports Complex, adding turf fields, LED lights and more to expand access for multiple sports. Parks are an underfunded amenity that helps combat climate change and improve communities’ physical and mental health.
Avoid imbalanced pressure on cities for broad needs like PFAS. Large societal needs such as testing/regulation of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substance (PFAS), or “forever chemicals,” tend to get pushed to the local level, further straining limited budgets. Even if supportive funding is also provided, cities must manage funding grants and add an unexpected FTE that requires office space, technology and human resources. A more collaborative approach avoids these unintentional pressures.
Update public records laws to reduce frivolous requests intended for personal gain. These requests monopolize staff time, driving up costs for taxpayers and clogging the system, keeping normal records requests from being filled quickly. (AWC)
Protect the Public Works Trust Fund and other shared revenue (AWC)
Improve Public Safety
Improve RCW 13.40.740 to allow juveniles to provide an exculpatory statement and clarify that juvenile victims and witnesses are not required to consult an attorney before cooperating with law enforcement. Current language from 2021 unnecessarily victimizes juveniles, prohibiting innocent individuals from clearing any suspicion of guilt and keeping witnesses from providing key, timely information. (WASPC)
Pursue an analysis of indigent defense for misdemeanor cases to determine feasible changes.
The State Supreme Court is proposing reduced case load standards that would require 70% more public defenders by July 2025. These goals are untenable; there simply aren’t enough attorneys applying for these jobs. (AWC)
Continue to expand options for the Basic Law Enforcement Academy.
It takes Sumner Police 14 months from the date of hire for a new officer to be on the street. Efforts to increase staffing can’t rely on recruitment alone. More options for the Academy would help new hires serve quicker. (AWC)
Fund air support and provide $10 million per year to local law enforcement air support units, currently provided by King, Snohomish, Chelan, and Spokane counties, that agree to assist any agency, including Sumner Police. (WASPC)
Incentivize Affordable Housing Supply
Avoid sweeping zoning laws that serve no city well. Additional regulations will complicate and slow down growth already coming around transit.
Instead of further regulations, pursue and expand incentives, such as multi-family tax exemptions, that have spurred low-income housing already.
- All legislation should respect local decision-making authority.
- It is difficult to even keep up with the avalanche of bills being introduced and passed each session that change how cities may serve the public. In addition to our Sumner-specific asks, we support the legislative agendas of
o Association of Washington Cities (AWC)
o Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC)
o South Sound Housing Affordability Partners (SSHA3P)
Thank you for your continued support!
Contact Us
Mayor Kathy Hayden, 253-299-5790, khayden@sumnerwa.gov
Jason Wilson, City Administrator, 253-299-5501, jasonw@sumnerwa.gov
Carmen Palmer, Communications Director, 253-299-5503, carmenp@sumnerwa.gov