The new year means new resolutions, new budgets, and a new state lawmaking session.

This year’s legislative session began last month, and it will be a busy one. Lawmakers have the headache-inducing work of passing a budget amid a potential multi-billion dollar deficit looming over the state over the next four years.

In this week’s paper, we detail one of the topics likely to make a return to the floors of debate: Aquatic transportation. Legislative action over the last few years has injected $3.17 million to add midday sailing to the water taxi and added many millions more into hiring and retention efforts at Washington State Ferries (WSF).

Governor Bob Ferguson has said he supports $19.2 million in former Governor Jay Inslee’s proposed transportation budget to beef up Washington State Ferries’ crew recruitment and retention, and to restore or increase WSF service in the San Juan Islands.

It won’t be an easy fight, as legislators must address significant budget gaps this season. A recent revenue forecast for the coming two-year biennium was down 8% from 2022, according to a staff presentation to the Senate Transportation Committee.

Then there are the more creative ideas, like HB 1923 — a proposal by Representative Greg Nance (D-23rd, Bainbridge Island) to fund a 21st century mosquito fleet of passenger-only ferries to serve riders across the Puget Sound.

Non-ferry legislation likely to make splash includes revived efforts to cap annual rent hikes — a cause that our own State Sen. Emily Alvarado championed last year — efforts to boost spending for law enforcement, and land use changes to boost housing density and streamline building.

We’ll keep our eye on legislation that matters to islanders — especially in the realms of ferries, environmental protections, land use and housing affordability, public school funding and the ability of residents in rural areas to control their own destinies.

Thanks for sticking with us.