[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6115023,"mediaKeyId","2740435-6d2d272dc3c0dfb90134f9da54c137d0","parentId",2740435,"title","Bellevue receives state legislative update as lawmakers confront large budget shortfalls","audioSeconds",941,"startMs",6459000,"endMs",7400000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2740435-6d2d272dc3c0dfb90134f9da54c137d0&start=6459&end=7400","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2740435-6d2d272dc3c0dfb90134f9da54c137d0/thumbnail_6459000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6115023/Bellevue/King-County/Washington/Bellevue-receives-state-legislative-update-as-lawmakers-confront-large-budget-shortfalls","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6115023-f58d777deb38205952c5efb094a709df/orig.mp4?Expires=1771013301&Signature=SQ8xFMs6ZvKZYrP4N~mq1x8a5Mnogl9oVMmwiUXGSWdtTjf3IGNvf0jz162hdNYrZRbsrUgcSwqShRPS9D59B9Tn1nr~jieMdog3-Q4dr~AJEazDj0tSlvhsvG-b9AXq9nlZ4JhAldTPT-~UF~k1mgtv7URnr~FF9Kk1VJgXnGALlxyhIN7CYRqkpYBNXjqySeb7T17sxR0rwJ6~0bBqNkkl9TR29FHCubImpYk9JbCudA3MtsTJHOOvSHoNxiwd-CFS3UGXcO2s7eCOGfQKybg-VfGZE4rJ5aHpKHo2TD64TBL9AdGmLbsIuAePbc0GP6~ZJX64hMPeyCkaYWjoQQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Bellevue City, WA","date","2025-03-23T04:19:26.87Z","article","Bellevue City Council received a state legislative update on March 18 outlining the city’s priorities, pending bills of interest, and recent state revenue forecasts that showed a significant budget gap.

Assistant Director for Government Relations Katie Halsey and Deputy City Manager Genesee Atkins summarized progress on Bellevue’s 2025 legislative agenda, including funding requests for the Bellevue Grand Connection: a $900,000 request for downtown integration (City Hall Plaza accessibility) submitted through the capital budget process, and advocacy for approximately $50 million for the I‑405 crossing if a transportation funding package advances.

Staff identified several bills under active review or advocacy, including proposals addressing transit-oriented development (House Bill 1491), parking-minimum restrictions (House Bill 5184), middle‑housing implementation, and the Housing Accountability Act (House Bill 5148). Staff also noted several bills that did not advance past the House‑of‑origin cutoff, such as House Bill 1380 (public camping restrictions), House Bill 1195 (shelter authorization on parcels), and House Bill 1443 (mobile housing units). The city is working with regional partners and the Association of Washington Cities to refine language and seek mitigations where bills pose local implementation risks.

Halsey and Atkins reviewed the state revenue forecast released the same day: a projected revenue decrease of about $425 million over four years (compared with the November forecast) and a larger operating shortfall estimated by budget writers at roughly $12 billion (other estimates as high as $15 billion) over four years. The governor’s initial reduction proposals total about $7 billion; House and Senate budget leaders have discussed roughly $6 billion in reductions. The transportation budget faces an estimated shortfall of about $8 billion over six years.

Staff listed revenue options being discussed at the state level that the city is monitoring, including employer payroll taxes, a surcharge on excessive executive compensation, a B&O surcharge, a capital-asset/wealth tax proposal, firearms or self-storage taxes, and transportation-related fees (tire fees, gas tax changes, tolling). The city said it will use a staff-developed framework to evaluate any revenue proposals for fiscal responsibility, competitiveness, and impact on local jurisdictions and taxpayers.

Councilmembers asked staff to return with impact analyses if particular revenue tools gain traction, and several members urged close coordination with regional partners on transportation and infrastructure priorities. Staff noted ongoing coalition work on corridor projects tied to I‑405 and SR‑167 and said they will continue to pursue earmarks and appropriations while preparing contingency plans if requested state funding does not materialize.

Staff emphasized that these discussions are fluid; formal budget proposals and hearings were expected after the March 24 revenue rollouts and committee hearings noted in staff’s timeline.

No formal council action was requested at the March 18 presentation; the session was informational and staff will provide further updates and impact assessments as the legislative process moves forward.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Bellevue City Council Meeting - March 18, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","City staff briefed council on state legislative priorities, infrastructure and Grand Connection funding requests, and a revenue forecast showing a multi‑billion-dollar shortfall that could affect transportation and operating budgets.","taxTitle","Bellevue, King County, Washington","taxId",2544,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6115027,"City presents Keep Bellevue Beautiful update; volunteers, businesses expand Adopt A Street and cart retrieval programs",435,1505000,1940000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2740435-6d2d272dc3c0dfb90134f9da54c137d0&start=1505&end=1940","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2740435-6d2d272dc3c0dfb90134f9da54c137d0/thumbnail_1505000.jpg","/articles/6115027/Bellevue/King-County/Washington/City-presents-Keep-Bellevue-Beautiful-update-volunteers-businesses-expand-Adopt-A-Street-and-cart-retrieval-programs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6115027-9fbd0451c6ec63b136a158780942b75d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771013301&Signature=mNKU9CJJDm1iPvsbB2SePL-4zmkTK8HcU3pT-~eugnG~tBqPkOfwJXDJzY5iBCvemQYLG5YjrB3ciuqFx31ttrh5FzFPkvPPQ-xnQHoEnOoVfoL3ZIMRhEzR-Ag-kETnhiMEJvwmmg5eXfWtdJFCRPUgVF9jtFka2subqwcYNQcCAXuqwTu~S9fP6KLmlrdovsjBA9uvS029B0mjpovwSBKh8MmlCtbixOlI5bF0b0gwfigIbjIXLhM2i3DCKo4mynbLpgH3a23XJr9gExRepXZALGMV~8iMzdJUwPsuJhH5~e2QllbaUy33JFMBXwVnDrrLDaMAwwCK4FLkdCvDqg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff updated the Bellevue City Council on March 18 about the Keep Bellevue Beautiful (KBB) program, reporting expanded volunteer participation, program metrics, and planned events for 2025.

Neighborhood outreach manager Mark Kylan and KBB coordinator Serena Miller told the council the program — launched in 2023 as part of the city’s Safe, Clean and Vibrant City initiative in the 2023–24 budget — focuses on three components: volunteer litter cleanup events, the Adopt A Street volunteer program, and abandoned shopping cart retrieval.

Staff said KBB has held 13 city-organized cleanup events since August 2023, averaging about 36 participants and 20–30 bags removed per event. The Adopt A Street program had 60 groups signed up as of March 2025 (15 businesses, 13 community groups, and 32 individuals/families), collectively covering 48.56 miles of city right-of-way; adopters have reported 381 bags collected so far this year and regular reporting is updated online. Staff also reported the shopping-cart retrieval program has removed and returned 5,788 carts to retailers since April 2023, including 2,838 carts retrieved in 2024 via MyBellevue reports and vendor sweeps. KBB said additional vendor pickups will begin in May 2025.

Council and staff discussed partnerships such as a probation work-crew program that completed supervised cleanups on 35 designated routes in 2024 and corporate volunteer events from Amazon and Visa. Staff said they plan Earth Day outreach, an EarthFest event April 19 at Bellevue Botanical Garden, and two signature city-wide cleanup days on May 17 and Sept. 13.

In public comment before the presentation, volunteer organizer Steve Fantel described his Bellevue Green and Clean group’s experience and suggested program improvements, including greater outreach to adopters, cost-sharing for cart retrieval with businesses, coordinated bag pickup with Parks and Transportation, and pursuing grant opportunities for cigarette-litter prevention. City staff acknowledged several of the suggestions and said staff would continue outreach to adopters and business partners.

The presentation was information-only; no council action was requested at the March 18 meeting.","City staff reported growth in the Keep Bellevue Beautiful program: 60 Adopt A Street adopters covering 48.56 miles, 13 city cleanup events since 2023, and 5,788 shopping carts returned since April 2023. Staff said program remains information-only during the March 18 meeting.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6115033,"Bellevue council appoints Claire Suma Dewaria to fill Position 5 after interviews",7387,2077000,9464000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2740435-6d2d272dc3c0dfb90134f9da54c137d0&start=2077&end=9464","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2740435-6d2d272dc3c0dfb90134f9da54c137d0/thumbnail_2077000.jpg","/articles/6115033/Bellevue/King-County/Washington/Bellevue-council-appoints-Claire-Suma-Dewaria-to-fill-Position-5-after-interviews","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6115033-0672da303e8bd83f834f6dec7b1b9a8d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771013301&Signature=Tx8Q4RcbxsTJY0f0KKRoW7Xf-4yWL4ecOSGp0oo2fW5e~gtQGApyFzh5fQgwDt4wy9QdRFfolkDHLv-cgN2Kh2Ci0RKb4v8EbCAv4UQRjGigy7eRdqVsvh6F6vGx38YTZ~Ddy3PMceHxpcs5qL2ETEmAVTKqQooodyDdUoD6IrthYzOoCeNMO7oiEjgSdmFgGtw0HdHD9kFB1qm8oWgcudEBRvicUMnAeX8PcduNjc0gjnR~GCAvIYL~UUqDmpq5nESJeJ6ojXZ6snuQwuF5Mljxb5Rb8LuWIHfYuejasw-M-vZ5JbWYoM6Dgb~VvmazxVfw47qS-5cymhm8lu3wqQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Bellevue City Council on March 18 voted to appoint Claire Suma Dewaria to City Council Position 5, effective April 1, 2025, contingent on Councilmember Zahn’s resignation on March 28.

The council interviewed five finalists at the March 18 meeting before recessing to executive session to review candidate qualifications. Deputy Mayor Malakoutian moved the appointment; a second was made on the floor and the motion passed by voice vote.

The appointment fills a seat expected to be vacated later this month. Mayor Robinson opened the meeting by explaining the interview and selection process; the council heard three-minute opening statements and additional questions from members for each finalist. The five finalists interviewed in council chambers were Vishal Bhargava, Claire Suma Dewaria, Diyala Ezzedine, Jaskaran Singh Saral, and Eric Drever. The council followed the preannounced order and timing for each interview, then held a study session and executive session before returning to the chamber to act.

Council members emphasized that the appointed member will stand for election in November, so the appointment covers the interim until voters decide the seat’s long-term holder. The motion the council approved instructed city staff to effect the appointment contingent on Councilmember Zahn’s formal resignation on March 28.

No formal roll-call tally was read into the record at the time of the vote; the council approved the motion by voice. The council clerk will publish the formal minutes and any completed forms once the resignation and appointment paperwork are finalized.

The council thanked all finalists for their applications and noted the selection was difficult because of the field’s qualifications. The mayor invited those not selected to run in the November election.

Details recorded at the meeting show the interview process was public and followed procedures announced at the start of the session, including a 3-minute opening statement and a time-limited question-and-answer period for each candidate.

The council’s action is administrative and internal: the seat will be filled under the council’s appointment authority and the state open-meetings statute cited at the meeting (RCW 42.30.110) governed the executive-session discussion of candidate qualifications. The council will place the successor on the April meeting roster once Zahn’s resignation is received and administrative steps are completed.","After interviewing five finalists, the Bellevue City Council voted to appoint Claire Suma Dewaria to fill the remainder of Position 5, effective April 1 and contingent on the incumbent's March 28 resignation.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Bellevue receives state legislative update as lawmakers confront large budget shortfalls

City presents Keep Bellevue Beautiful update; volunteers, businesses expand Adopt A Street and cart retrieval programs

Bellevue council appoints Claire Suma Dewaria to fill Position 5 after interviews