PORT ANGELES — Clallam County commissioners met with three state legislators Monday to discuss priorities for the upcoming legislative session.
Commissioners Mark Ozias and Mike French presented concerns to Rep.-elect Adam Bernbaum, D-Port Angeles, Rep. Steve Tharinger, D-Port Townsend, and Sen.-elect Mike Chapman, D-Port Angeles. Commissioner Randy Johnson was absent.
The housing crisis dominated the discussion. Timothy Dalton, the county’s housing and grant resource director, cited strict energy codes as one of the obstacles to affordability.
Tharinger noted the codes are developed by the governor-appointed Building Code Council, and the legislature doesn’t have much say.
“Safe to say that it is at a certain philosophy that has been generated by the existing governor. And they have driven a very climate change agenda to limit climate change. I think all of us want to limit climate change. It is a problem. Whether the building code advisory group has gotten a little overboard, I think that’s a good discussion. But in the long term, those appliances and some of those requirements are going to save energy. It’s the front end costs that’s impacting the housing.”
County officials also said landlord-tenant laws is an obstacles to affordable housing locally.
“You got to remember, we’re a state legislature. There’s a lot that goes on in King County and Pierce County and Snohomish County that impacts renters. And we try as a delegation to make sure that there’s some understanding about what other parts of the state are facing that might be different from what’s going on in the I-5 corridor. I think you will see a rent stabilization bill this session, and I think you’ll probably see some discussion around, you know, tenant-landlord issues.”
Dr. Allison Berry, health officer for Clallam and Jefferson counties, urged legislators to sustain public health funding, citing concerns about federal policy shifts.
“And we are likely to see cuts in federal funding around public health. And so, I want to ask that our state legislature do what you can. I know during the last Trump Administration, when we saw a cut in Title 10 funds, the Washington State Legislature backfilled that. I know that may not be as possible now in the current budget picture, but anything that you can do to maintain the social safety net here in Washington state will make a huge difference to the entire population.”
The group also raised concerns about the expected extra financial burden counties will have to absorb to pay for revised caseloads and indigent defense, citing need for the state to provide more financial help.
The legislative session begins Jan. 13.