Being a parent is nonstop hard work, which makes following all the news happening in the city, state, and U.S. decision-making circles challenging. Here are highlights of Washington state political news for families from last week (July 14-20) and a hint at what’s up this week. I hope you will consider taking action – reaching out to those who represent you and your family in Congress and state offices — on the issues that impact families in our state.
VOTE!
If you, like I, are concerned about the impacts of funding and policy decisions made by Congress and the Trump administration, voting for local leadership is one of the most effective ways to take action. Why? These are the individuals at the regional level who will work to offset drastic federal funding and program cuts, ensuring that Washington kids and families have the services they need.
Keep an eye on your mailbox over the next two weeks: The King County Elections Office has sent out ballots for the Aug. 5 primary election. Ballots must be placed in a drop box or postmarked by 8 p.m. that day.
What’s at stake? A lot, including nine state legislative seats (five in the Washington Senate, four in the state House of Representatives — all in the Seattle area. Not to mention it’s the primary election to decide which of seven candidates for Seattle mayor will go up against incumbent Mayor Bruce Harrell, as well as several Seattle City Council seats, the city attorney, and King County Council Districts 5 and 7. There are 300 races on ballots throughout Washington.
Beyond elected officials, the August King County ballot will include nearly 60 local measures, ranging from King County parks and recreation, hospital, and fire protection levies to the Shoreline School District’s Proposition 1, a one-year supplemental levy for educational programs and operations.
Take action: Voters who need to update their registration can do so online until July 28. For last-minute updates or to vote in person, voters can visit a voting center or county elections office until 8 p.m. on Aug. 5.
You’re not crazy. Prices have gone up.
So you went to the grocery store and came home with a surprisingly higher total on your receipt than expected. It’s not in your mind. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, food, energy, and other goods are becoming more expensive in the Greater Seattle area, not only over the last year, but especially in the last two months.
According to the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers for Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue:
- Prices in the Seattle area rose 1.4% over the past two months and 2.7% over the last 12 months.
- Over the last year, food prices have increased by 4.8%. For food made at home, the cost increase has been 5.3% since June 2024. The cost of eating out jumped 3.9% over the year.
- Energy prices have increased by 4% over the past two months and are up 5% over the year.
- The index for all items, except food and energy, has crept up 2.4% over the last year, reflecting higher prices for shelter (+3.1%).
Some good news: Prices for recreation in our region are 1.6% lower than they were one year ago.
An excellent place for parents & grandparents to learn ESL
Are you, or do you know of a parent, grandparent, or other family member in need of a safe, comfortable setting to learn English?
Thanks to a $450,000 grant from the Carnegie Corporation, the Seattle Public Library (SPL) is that setting. As English classes at other institutions fill up throughout the city, SPL staff are stepping up their offerings to adult learners.
In a recent Cascade PBS news report, SPL Community Engagement and Economic Development Services Manager Kristina Darnell explained that the library aims to fill a critical gap, as seats in adult ESL classes offered at other institutions are becoming increasingly difficult to find.
“They don’t have the capacity,” Darnell said. “There’s too much demand right now to meet the actual resources that exist.”
The Carnegie grant will allow SPL to expand these free adult English-learner classes:
- ESL classes to help English learners with daily life, work, and citizenship skills.
- English Conversation Circles (English Circle) — informal, drop-in practice groups where you can meet others learning English and native speakers.
- Adult tutoring (one-on-one or small group) in English, citizenship, writing, and basic skills — available both in‑person and virtually.
- Virtual ESL help via Tutor.com — free access with your SPL card, available daily in English (and also Spanish/Vietnamese).
Participants need an SPL library card, which is free for Seattle residents and often includes access to nearby King County Library branches as well.
King County Council approves mid-year budget
Last week, the King County Council approved its 2025 supplemental budget, bumping up the county’s General Fund by $107.28 million. Part of that money is earmarked to make public transit safer. And some of it will fund reproductive health care — a response to the increasing need for services in Washington, as women from other states travel here from states where services are banned. (Check out the article: “Gov. Ferguson commits to Planned Parenthood funding” for the state’s recent promise on this front.)
Still, the Council’s decision to boost the county’s budget does not indicate future solvency. King County is facing a budget shortfall for the 2026–2027 biennium, including a projected $150 million shortfall in the County’s General Fund. The county is also looking at the potential loss of federal funds for its Medicaid and other programs. There will be some hard decisions to make when the council debates biennial budget proposals later this year (historically in October).
“We can’t afford business-as-usual budgeting when critical priorities — like responding to homelessness and addressing runaway housing costs — risk falling through the cracks,” said Councilmember Claudia Balducci, chair of the council’s Committee of the Whole. “In this time of economic uncertainty, and with major federal cuts on the way, King County must maintain our budget flexibility so that we can protect our residents’ access to food, health care, and other lifeline services.”
King County commits to not assisting ICE
The King County Council has taken a firm stand with the passage of “Welcoming King County,” a motion that strengthens the county’s commitment not to assist U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions and to increase support for immigrant and refugee families.
According to a council announcement, the motion “demonstrates the council’s commitment to take action to implement additional safeguards against the federal administration’s attempts to use King County public safety infrastructure to surveil residents.” It will also provide more support for immigrant and refugee families and promote awareness of rights and resources available to immigrant communities.
“As the federal administration continues to expand its campaign of fear and violence upon immigrant communities, we must stand with residents of King County by protecting data the county holds and the people within our borders,” said “Welcoming King County” motion sponsor Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda. “This motion is the next step towards that goal.”
This motion indicates the council’s intent to:
- Limit county assistance with federal investigation, enforcement of registration or surveillance programs, or any other federal policies that target residents solely based on race, religion, immigration or citizenship status, or national or ethnic origin.
- Increase staffing in the Office of Equity and Racial and Social Justice dedicated to boosting outreach to and engagement with immigrant and refugee communities.
- Create a ‘Know Your Rights’ web hub and multilingual alerts for immigrant residents.
- Increase funding for deportation defense and rapid response to ICE raids.
- Install signage in King County buildings blocking warrantless federal access.
- Urge courts and prosecutors not to increase the consequences of criminal legal system involvement solely due to one’s status as an immigrant.
- Affirm voter access for the multilingual, immigrant electorate ahead of the 2026 races.
Catalina Velasquez, Executive Director of the Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network, applauded the council’s statement of intent: “As the federal government works to divert as many taxpayer dollars as it can to continue to ruthlessly target our immigrant neighbors … it is vital that our local governments stand with immigrants, not just in words, but also in action. Making the investment to be truly welcoming to immigrants and refugees means making the investment in all of us.”
Read Velasquez’s moving “A call to action against mass deportations” in Seattle’s Child.
UPDATE: WA Head Start to expand lawsuit against DOE
Two weeks ago in The Roundup, a coalition of Head Start providers — plaintiffs in an ongoing lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s unlawful attacks on the Head Start program — announced they would add to their complaint if the Trump administration sought to exclude immigrant families from participation in the nation’s most researched and honored early childhood program.
Last week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) did just that, and the coalition followed through. It has sought to expand its challenge to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to include the department’s latest decision.
“Head Start was created to serve low-income children and families, including immigrant communities who are vital to our economy and our future. This directive attempts to force agencies to turn away the very families we are legally mandated to support,” said Joel Ryan, executive director, Washington State Head Start & Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program. “It’s a cruel and unlawful move that threatens the well-being of children and the stability of entire communities.
