State lawmakers, local officials, and business leaders gathered on Thursday, June 5, 2025 at the Kent Chamber of Commerce’s annual Legislative Luncheon to reflect on the 2025 session and its wide-ranging impacts on South King County communities.

The event brought together more than 70 people to hear updates on education funding, public safety legislation, business tax policy, and efforts to support small and minority-owned enterprises.

This was an opportunity for Kent Chamber members to hear directly from policymakers and experts about key decisions made in Olympia, and what they mean for local businesses, workforces, and the broader community.

If you appreciate our independent local journalism, please…

This event featured the following speakers:

  • Rep. Debra Entenman (47th)
  • Sen. Claudia Kauffman (47th)
  • Rep. Chris Stearns (47th)
  • Kent School District Superintendent Israel Vela
  • Sen. Tina Orwall (33rd)
  • Rep. Mia Gregerson (33rd)
  • Rep. Edwin Obras (33rd)
  • Sen. Bob Hasegawa (11th)
  • Rep. David Hackney (11th)

Zenovia Harris, CEO of the Kent Chamber, opened the forum by highlighting the importance of civic engagement among businesses.

“What that means to me is that you all understand the impacts of what is happening in Olympia and how your business can potentially be affected,” Harris said. “It’s essential for us as a community to have a forum.”

Lawmakers from the 11th, 33rd and 47th legislative districts shared reflections on key wins and frustrations from the session, which adjourned on time in April despite grappling with a $16 billion budget deficit.

Rep. Debra Entenman (D-Kent) called House Bill 2015 – which redirected proposed law enforcement funding into broader public safety and community investments – her most challenging and rewarding legislation to date.

“For me to stand up and say I support legislation from the governor where he said he wanted to spend $100 million on police — a lot of people were very disappointed in my position,” Entenman said. “But we switched the narrative from just hiring cops to increasing public safety.”

Sen. Claudia Kauffman (D-Kent) emphasized the struggle to preserve services despite fiscal constraints, while also celebrating a $700 million statewide investment in special education.

“We had a lot to accomplish,” Kauffman said. “We wanted to ensure core services like mental health, food security and public safety remained protected.”

Kent School District Superintendent Israel Vela warned that ongoing uncertainty around federal funding — particularly Title I support — could impact up to 11 percent of the district’s budget. He urged continued investment in student-centered strategies, particularly for underserved populations.

Rep. David Hackney (D-Tukwila), recovering from medical leave, underscored the need to reduce gun violence in South King County, which he said has experienced 77 percent of the county’s firearm-related incidents.

“You may not like investment in law enforcement, but I think it’s necessary for public safety,” Hackney said. “Our community must be safe — from crime and from police abuses.”

Multiple speakers acknowledged the mounting financial pressure on nonprofit service providers and small businesses, especially those in the mental health sector and minority-owned business community. Several legislators, including Rep. Mia Gregerson (D-SeaTac), indicated that the cuts felt this year may be reconsidered in the 2026 supplemental budget.

“We knew the federal government was making a lot of statements, and we just had to get out of session so we could finish our budget and then go directly into the next iteration,” Gregerson said.

During a question-and-answer session, Kent Mayor Dana Ralph called for renewed focus on revenue equity, citing the city’s longstanding disadvantage under state sales tax structures.

“We just want the simple ability to take care of our city in the same way other cities do,” Ralph said.

Harris closed the event with a rallying call for businesses to remain civically engaged.

“I heard someone say, ‘We’re fighting for the whole state.’ Let’s just fight a little bit harder for our little city,” she said.

The Chamber provided attendees with a preliminary legislative tracking report and voting summaries via QR code, encouraging continued dialogue ahead of the 2026 session.

If you appreciate our independent local journalism, please…

Video

Below is video of the event, as filmed/edited by Scott Schaefer (running time 1-hour, 21-minutes).

YouTube player

Chapter Markers: