Dear Friends and Neighbors,
When the Legislature gavels out for the year, there’s always a bit of a shift in pace — and I’ll tell you, there’s nothing quite like trading long days behind a desk in Olympia for early mornings back home on the farm with my wife. After months of meetings, hearings, and floor debates, getting back to the land reminds me exactly who I’m working for and why.
Session wrap-up: The three budgets
 Sen. Ron Muzzall, Senate floor debate, March 2026
This year’s 2026 legislative session wrapped up with the approval of all three supplemental budgets: operating, transportation, and capital. Each one plays a different role in how the state functions, and together they tell the story of our priorities — where we invest, what we maintain, and how we plan for the future.
Operating budget
The state’s operating budget — now topping more than $80 billion — reflects the continued growth of our state and the demand for services. This year’s supplemental operating budget includes investments to keep core programs running and support communities across Washington, and there are many pieces in it that I support.
At the same time, I couldn’t support the final supplemental operating budget. I had concerns about the level of spending, especially with a projected shortfall ahead. On the farm, you learn pretty quickly that what you put in has to match what you can sustain, and that same idea applies here. It’s about meeting today’s needs while being responsible with the resources taxpayers have entrusted to us and making sure we’re on solid footing in the years ahead.
Transportation investments
The supplemental transportation budget takes a steady, practical approach, focusing on maintenance, preservation, and keeping projects already underway moving forward. It’s about taking care of what we have and making sure communities see progress on projects they’ve been waiting on.
This is a bipartisan budget that supports infrastructure improvements and long-term needs, such as bridge preservation. It also includes investments in our ferry system — something many in the 10th District rely on every day — with added support for maintenance, reliability, and terminal upgrades.
That kind of work may not always grab headlines, but it matters. It keeps roads and ferries running, supports local economies, and helps families and businesses stay connected.
Capital budget: Investments in our communities
 While each budget serves a different purpose, the capital budget is bipartisan as well. This year’s supplemental capital budget builds on last year’s work and continues investing in people, infrastructure, and the future of our district. I was glad to work with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to help secure these investments for the 10th District.
These are practical, on-the-ground projects — the kind that strengthen communities and help ensure our region remains a place where working families can live, work, and thrive.
Here are the capital projects in the 10th District:
- Jail Annex Main Breaker Replacement – $100,000
- Puget Sound Veterans Health Initiative – $342,000
- Rexville Grange #815 – $50,000
- Oak Harbor Marina Improvements – $621,000
- Grace Landing Property Purchase – $267,000
- Skagit County Senior Center and Affordable Housing – $1,545,000
- Bradshaw Pump Station Modernization – $200,000
- Channel Drive Water – $515,000
- Skagit District 15 Irrigation Well Project – $300,000
- Coupeville Raingarden and Native Plants Outdoor Learning – $204,000
- Regional Public Safety Campus – $294,000
Thank you!
Thank you to everyone who took the time to stay engaged this session, whether by reading these updates or reaching out to share your thoughts.
Your input matters, and I carry it with me to Olympia. On the farm, you don’t get much done going it alone; it takes working together and making sure you’re using what you have wisely. That’s the mindset I bring to the job: finding common ground, supporting our communities, and being responsible with the dollars you’ve worked hard to earn.
It is an honor to represent you.
Yours in service,
Senator Ron Muzzall
10th Legislative District
Share my E-newsletter
Please be sure to subscribe to my newsletter if you have not already. You can unsubscribe at anytime by clicking here. Feel free to share this with others that live in our district. You can forward this email to them or click on the share button below.
Contact me
Olympia Office:
310 Irv Newhouse Building
P.O. Box 40410, Olympia, WA 98504
Olympia Phone:
360.786.7618
Email:
Ron.Muzzall@leg.wa.gov
Website:
Click Here
|
