Future 42

Making Washington a place to prosper.

[Future 42 @future42org]

🏛️ Olympia Stalled on Fentanyl Protections. 🫵 Lynnwood’s Action Shows Why Local Votes Matter

When Olympia fails to act, local elections matter even more. When state lawmakers fail to address an important issue, local governments sometimes step in to fill the gap. A recent decision in Lynnwood offers an example of how decisions made closer to home can have a direct impact on families and public safety.

On September 28, the Lynnwood City Council voted 5-1 to make knowingly or recklessly exposing a child or dependent adult to fentanyl and other controlled substances a gross misdemeanor, punishable by up to 364 days in jail and a $5,000 fine. Similar ordinances have been adopted in Everett, Marysville, and Snohomish County.

The danger of fentanyl exposure to young children is not hypothetical. According to a 2025 report from Washington's Office of the Family and Children's Ombuds, 20 child deaths and 41 near-fatalities reviewed in 2024 involved accidental drug ingestion or overdose, with fentanyl implicated in 78% of those incidents. More recently, state watchdog data released in August 2026 identified 35 child deaths and 49 near-fatalities in 2025 among children with recent involvement in Washington's child welfare system, although not all of those cases involved fentanyl.

The issue has also hit close to home in Lynnwood. Just this month, authorities arrested a mother in connection with the fentanyl-related death of her 2-year-old son, who died in November 2022.

Why was a local ordinance necessary? Because Washington's existing felony child-endangerment law covers methamphetamine but has never been updated to include fentanyl.

This isn't a new issue. In 2024, Future 42 highlighted Senate Bill 5010, which would have added fentanyl and synthetic opioids to the state's felony child-endangerment statute. The legislation passed the Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support, 48-1, but died in a House committee. At the time, committee Chairman Roger Goodman told The Seattle Times that he "literally" didn't have a single vote for the bill in his committee.

A similar measure, Senate Bill 5071, passed the Senate 40-9 in 2026 but again failed to advance through the House.

The debate has now shifted to local communities, where elected officials are considering how to address the gap in state law. Lynnwood's decision also illustrates why your voice can have an especially meaningful impact at the local level, where decisions are often made by just a handful of elected representatives.

And that brings us to an important reminder: Ballots are arriving in mailboxes across Washington.

Important decisions affecting your family's financial future, health, and safety are being made at both the state and local levels. Before you return your ballot:

🗳️ Take your time. Review your entire ballot, including local races and ballot measures that may receive less attention.

🔎 Do your research. Learn about the candidates, their records, and the potential impacts of the measures being considered.

🏛️ Pay attention to local government. City councils, county officials, and other local leaders make decisions that can directly affect your community.

📬 Make your voice heard. In lower-turnout elections, close races and ballot measures can be decided by remarkably small margins.

Throughout the year, Future 42 has worked to keep you informed about important issues and opportunities to engage with your elected officials. Elections offer another opportunity to participate in the decisions that shape Washington's future.

Your voice matters in Olympia, and it matters just as much in your own community. Take the time to make an informed decision and return your ballot.

-Future 42 Team
Sign up at https://t.co/z26ac4IEYT

[Future 42 @future42org]

Vote “No” on the Tacoma Housing Provider Fee and Enforcement Initiative

Ballots for the November general election have been mailed and should already be arriving in Tacoma voters’ mailboxes. Among the measures on this year’s ballot is a sweeping new rental regulation proposal that the City Manager estimates could cost taxpayers and businesses $8 million to $10 million per year, on top of a projected $40 million General Fund budget shortfall for 2027–28.

The Tacoma Housing Provider Fee and Enforcement Initiative, officially known as Safe Homes for All Initiative Measure No. 1, would add a costly new licensing and enforcement structure on top of Tacoma’s existing rental housing regulations. With the City’s budget already stretched, those new costs would compete with the General Fund dollars that pay for police, fire, and other core city services.

Read more about why Future 42 recommends a NO vote on Safe Homes for All Initiative Measure No. 1: https://t.co/kEZiLUmhkB

[Future 42 @future42org]

A Coast Guard Officer was murdered in cold blood this summer and police eventually found his killer...
Or so they hope.

We are now getting insight into the uphill battle prosecutors have to prove the suspect was the actual trigger puller.

This story and more on The Spotlight with David Rose.

@DavidRoseFOX13 | The Spotlight | @fox13seattle
'The Spotlight: Police chase leads to investigation break in murder case'

[Future 42 @future42org]

Tacoma prosecutors are declining 52% of all misdemeanor cases that Tacoma PD files, and the reason goes much deeper than ideology.

First, lets start with the cops.

The police officers are doing their jobs by arresting criminals and submitting proper evidence. We also understand that they have actively told the prosecutor's office that they are willing to come to court to testify.
We can imagine there is a bit of demoralization when officers feel they risk their lives for essentially nothing. But alas, they continue to try.

Next, let's discuss the prosecutors.

Tacoma is supposed to have 6 prosecutors that focus on low level crimes such as tickets and misdemeanors.
They currently have 3.
Running at half capacity means they have to be especially picky on which cases they charge, since they can only handle so many between the 3 of them. The rest of the cases have to be dumped with no charges filed.

Finally, lets discuss the 'why' aspect.

We don't know exactly why Tacoma isn't able to hire 3 more prosecutors, but we can look at another prosecuting office that also has trouble retaining prosecutors; Snohomish County.

Recently, we highlighted a KOMO story out of Snohomish County where the elected Prosecuting Attorney was warning about staffing shortages creating years long backlogs of felony level cases. Lynnwood Times dove a little deeper and discovered that between 2018 and 2024, there was a 100% turnover in that office.
That's really, really high.
The number one factor cited was low and uncompetitive pay.

Let's take a look at what starting pay is for a Tacoma prosecutor:
$85,316
Now lets look at what the average starting salary of a private attorney is in Tacoma, according to Salary dot com:
$114,000

A $30k difference is not a small amount, and could easily explain why Tacoma is having such a hard time recruiting lawyers. Unfortunately with a $40 million deficit, Tacoma leaders are probably not able to do much about that right now.

So lets review.
✔️Cops are arresting criminals, and spending the time to submit evidence.
✔️Prosecutors are understaffed and over worked, and unable to accept over half the cases referred to them.
✔️The city is broke and can't pay prosecutors enough to fill their budgeted slots, so they can prosecute every case.
❌Most criminals in Tacoma are getting a free pass to continue committing more crimes.

Not a good situation to be in.

@LynnwoodTimes
'Prosecutor’s Office still facing case backlog, lack of resources may be the issue'
Article: https://t.co/851VORHejA

@JeremyHarrisTV | @komonews
'Backlog at Snohomish County prosecutor's office leaves victims waiting years for answers'
Article: https://t.co/vehxv46X00

@jasonrantz | @SeattleRedMedia
'Rantz Exclusive: Tacoma prosecutors declined 52% of the misdemeanor cases they reviewed, as half their prosecutor jobs are empty'
Article: https://t.co/xJwzp5vwkR

[Future 42 @future42org]

@remarkmarketing That answer might change if Moody's downgrades our credit rating, as they threatened to do.

[Future 42 @future42org]

"There is going to be a bill to authorize a 75 year low interest loan for Sound Transit."

Legislators told attendees at the Ballard Sound Transit meeting this week that they will again be pushing SB 6148, which would extend the loans Sound Transit can borrow from 40 years to a lifetime long 75 years. This is because Sound Transit doesn't know how to budget...much like the legislature that wants to bail them out with loans your adult grandchildren would be paying on.

As if this wasn't bad enough; Dow Constantine told the Ballard audience that they are looking at the year 2060 for their Light Rail, unless more funding is approved by taxpayers. Then it would be "as early as" 2042.

For context, the Ballard line was supposed to open in 2035 and cost $4.2 Billion.
Now the cost is expected to be north of $20 Billion with a laughably far completion date.

@JackieKentNews | @komonews
'Seattle's multibillion Ballard light rail extension still unfunded as leaders target 2042 start date'
Article: https://t.co/QAoCjrh3Vj

[Future 42 @future42org]

The Ballard Graffiti Boat is becoming a safety hazard and the WA Department of Natural Resources is rightfully looking to scrap it, but; the cost estimate to do so is now close to a million dollars. And this is taxpayer money, since the likelihood the defunct owner pays is low.

However; WA DNR also reports that it has 358 known hazardous vessels it needs to scrap, and we can't help but wonder what the total cost to taxpayers will end up being. All with little to no consequence to the people who left them there.

@LaurenDonovanTV | @fox13seattle
''Ballard 'graffiti ship' removal could cost over $600K'
Article: https://t.co/wrg5hWvbaR

[Future 42 @future42org]

Seattle, facing a budget crunch so bad that there are proposed cuts to the Fire Department, is funding almost $5 Million in "climate pollution" grants.

Looking deeper; most of these grants appear to be paying to replace natural gas appliances with electric ones inside nonprofit ran shelters, using the (detrimental) JumpStart tax to fund it.

@komonews
'Seattle awards $4.6M in grants to cut climate pollution in affordable housing'
Article: https://t.co/AnF81Im29J

[Future 42 @future42org]

@jenNY_PHL We got down to that right before the war. With our taxes here, gas could be free nationally and we'd still be paying about $1 a gal.

[Future 42 @future42org]

On this Future 42 Gas Price Friday...

To give you an idea of how much more expensive Washington state's gas prices are than most states in the US;

We have the 3rd highest average at $5.34, while our neighbor Oregon is the 5th highest at $4.90.
A 44 cent difference, explained primarily by our carbon tax.

The only states with more expensive gas than us are the (island state of) Hawaii, and California...which has made its own gas prices artificially higher than everyone else through bad policies like us. We also happen to be one of only four states in the country with a gas price average that still starts with $5.

Even with all of this knowledge; Governor Bob Ferguson continues to ignore calls from the working and middle classes of WA to suspend the (useless) Climate Commitment Act carbon tax, at least until gas prices drop.

(It's not like the CCA is doing anything for the environment anyways..)

Washington state gasoline taxes: $0.96 per gallon
WA vs Nation Average: +$1.07
Roads Condition Rank: 48th
Gas Price Rank: 3rd highest

Washington State fuel tax breakdown per gallon
WA Gas Tax: $0.565
WA Carbon Tax: $0.32
WA Hazard Tax: $0.04
WA Low Carbon Fuel Tax: $0.04

Source: AAA

[Chris Sullivan @NEWSGUYSULLY]

Get ready, drivers: Puyallup to Lynnwood could cost $54 in tolls https://t.co/I2mgYgkL8N

[We Heart Seattle @weheartseattle]

Time to check back in on Nick and Leo. Both have housing. Both still hang out in the parks and the open-air drug markets.
Nick’s in a tiny home. He only has to check in twice a week to keep it.
Leo just got into permanent supportive housing at @DESCSeattle. He can live there for the rest of his life. Check-in is once every 6 months.
Housing with almost no expectations. That’s the model. @MayorofSeattle

[Future 42 @future42org]

Each one of those marker on the ground is from a shell casing...

[Seattle Info @seattleinfo]

#Seattle, Oct 23, 2026, Just a few minutes into the day after midnight. 10002 Aurora Ave N, Oak Tree Plaza.

Massive number of shots fired.

According to a nearby worker who witnessed a portion of this shooting several people emerged on foot from between the buildings (between the grocery store and the theatre) on the Plaza's east side, shot into the air, then retreated back between the buildings.

The witness thinks the shooting was into the air to intimidate and scare several younger women who took refuge in Wing Stops. There was no apparent damage to buildings adjacent to the shell casings, which supports the witnesses notion that the shooting was into the air. Probably a lot of bullets to be found on the west side of Aurora Ave N.

The witness assumed the shooting was related to prostitution.

[The Center Square Washington @TCSWashington]

Seattle has a new plan to address homelessness, but will it change what's happening on the streets?

[Charlie Harger, KIRO Newsradio @KIROCharlie]

Today’s commentary. Some details you might not know about the Bite of Seattle shooting. This is the second time I have covered a mass gang shooting where it’s pretty clear anyone responsible will be able to claim self-defense. The law needs be changed.

[Future 42 @future42org]

If you have not received your ballot by now, reach out to your county elections office immediately.

[KOMO News @komonews]

Dozens of undelivered ballots found in dumpster at Seattle park
https://t.co/iRNjLphelx

[FOX 13 Seattle @fox13seattle]

The King County Regional Homelessness Authority is facing an unrecoverable $16.7 million funding deficit as calls grow from elected officials to dissolve the agency entirely. https://t.co/lMVyxHyHt0

[Future 42 @future42org]

Sound Transit has begun the process to buy or use eminent domain to acquire, 63 properties in the way of the West Seattle light rail line.

@HeySamCampbell | @fox13seattle
'Sound Transit to vote on West Seattle light rail'

[Chris Sullivan @NEWSGUYSULLY]

Wire theft knocks out more lighting along I-5 in Lakewood https://t.co/RHbyi9Fwkx

[Future 42 @future42org]

Washington state's Paid Family and Medical Leave tax rate will hit the maximum allowed 1.2% next year, up from 0.4% when the program began in 2019.

Even with the tax hike, the program is expected to run a deficit beginning in 2029.

Emily Makings | @WRCresearch
'Paid family and medical leave tax rate will increase to 1.2% in 2027'
Article: https://t.co/vnggn7ojPd