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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
The 2026 legislative session is now in the history books. After a long and especially grueling final week, including a 24.5-hour continuous floor debate on March 9 and 10 over a proposed state income tax, lawmakers adjourned the 60-day session on March 12.
I am grateful to be back home in Grandview with my family and look forward to spending time in the district, meeting with constituents and continuing my work on your behalf.
This session can be summed up: 60 days, hundreds of bills, one uphill battle for the future of Washington.
Affordability remains one of the top concerns I hear from families across our district. This session, House Republicans worked to stop policies that would have made everyday life more expensive and pushed back against measures that would hurt farms, small businesses and jobs.
Serving in the House Republican Caucus, much of our success came not from the bills we passed, but from harmful Democrat policies we fought to stop. I remained focused on representing the voices of families, employers, farmers and farm workers across the 14th District.
Democrats double down on taxes while growing government
Despite record tax increases last year, majority Democrats returned in January, determined to raise taxes again, expand government and make it harder for families to stay in their homes and for employers to keep jobs in Washington.
At its core, Washington does not have a revenue problem; it is a spending problem. Instead of addressing the underlying drivers of the budget shortfall, Democrats approved nearly $4.5 billion in new and higher state and local taxes.
The most significant was Senate Bill 6346, creating Washington’s first state income tax. While framed as targeting millionaires, Democrats rejected efforts to permanently limit it, raising concerns it will expand to working families over time.
House Republicans strongly opposed the measure, offering more than 50 amendments and debating the bill for more than 24 hours. In the end, every Republican and eight Democrats voted against it.
For communities like ours, the impact is real. Family-owned farms and small businesses reinvest earnings into their operations, employees and local economies. A new income tax threatens that cycle and the jobs it supports. That’s what I said in my floor remarks during the debate.
Supplemental operating and transportation budgets raise concerns
All three budgets adopted this year are supplemental to the 2025-27 biennial budgets, addressing new priorities not generally known in last year’s budgets, or were included this year to enhance projects and programs.
Operating budget
The supplemental operating budget increases spending by $2.3 billion and continues a pattern that has pushed the state back into a multibillion-dollar deficit. It spends $4.9 billion more than projected revenue and assumes billions more in future tax increases. It brings total state spending in the near General-Fund state spending to a whopping $80 billion.
The budget also relies on pension fund dollars, including the LEOFF 1 system, through indirect transfers and accounting maneuvers, such as backfilling an $880 million withdrawal from the state’s rainy-day fund and helping to offset additional spending to support ongoing obligations. That’s very troubling and I voted no.
Transportation budget
As an assistant ranking member of the House Transportation Committee, I supported the House version of the supplemental transportation budget, which prioritized maintenance and the completion of projects using existing resources, and it passed unanimously.
However, the final version was changed in Senate negotiations to rely heavily on new bonding. While bonding can be appropriate in long-term planning, adding debt in a supplemental budget shifts costs to future taxpayers and crowds out future priorities. For that reason, I voted no.
Nearly half a million voices ignored
Two citizen initiatives, backed by nearly half a million signatures, were submitted to the Legislature this year. I supported both.
One would protect fairness in girls’ sports. The other would restore the Parents’ Bill of Rights.
Under the state constitution, these initiatives are supposed to receive priority consideration, including public hearings. Instead, majority Democrats declined to hold hearings or allow public input.
House Republicans worked to uphold that process and held public listening sessions so Washingtonians could be heard. This is not just a policy disagreement. It is about whether the voices of the people are respected.
Both measures will now go on to the November general election ballot for the citizens to decide.
Supplemental capital budget delivers local results
The supplemental capital budget shows what can happen when lawmakers work together. This bipartisan plan invests $890 million statewide in schools, housing, water infrastructure and community projects, including more than $13.3 million for communities across the 14th District.
These investments support jobs, public safety, education and agriculture across the Yakima Valley and surrounding communities.
14th District capital investments include:
- Yakima Behavioral Health Hub — $1.55 million
- Yakima County detox planning and design — $309,000
- Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic — $515,000
- Finley School District HVAC — $1.5 million
- Glenwood school construction — $6 million
- City of Granger facilities and library — more than $600,000
- Wapato public safety building renovation — $103,000
- Mabton Police Department — $188,000
- Agricultural livestock barn improvements — $150,000
- Playground, community and infrastructure projects across Sunnyside, Toppenish, Wapato and surrounding areas
Local updates
Heritage apple orchard bill signed into law Friday
In a ceremony Friday at the Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences, Gov. Bob Ferguson signed into law my measure, House Bill 2525. The bill creates a Washington heritage apple orchard registry to preserve historically significant orchards and recognize the farms and families that built our state’s apple industry.
Washington has a proud agricultural history, and apples are a big part of that story, especially here in the Yakima Valley. The voluntary registry will promote education, tourism and appreciation for our region’s agricultural roots. Read more. . .
New Superior Court judge for Yakima County
Yakima County is expected to receive an additional Superior Court judge under Senate Bill 5868, now before the governor. This is needed to reduce caseloads and ensure timely justice in our courts.
I sponsored House Bill 2412 earlier this session to create this position. While that bill did not advance in the Senate, I strongly supported this effort to improve access to justice in our community.
Join us for post-session town halls
I will be joining my colleagues to provide a session update and hear directly from you:
Monday, April 27 – YAKIMA
Excel Youth Center, Yakima
1009 N 9th St
6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
With Rep. Deb Manjarrez, Rep. Chris Corry and Rep. Jeremie Dufault
Tuesday, April 28 – TOPPENISH
Astria Toppenish Hospital, Toppenish
502 W 4th Ave
6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
With Rep. Gloria Mendoza and Rep. Deb Manjarrez
I hope you will join us to ask questions, share your priorities and learn more about the work happening in Olympia.
I work for you year-round
Serving the 14th District is an honor, and my work does not end when the Legislature adjourns. If you have questions, concerns or need assistance with a state issue, please contact my office at any time. You’ll find my contact information below.
Sincerely,
Gloria Mendoza
