General Government
Staff Contact:  Julie Murray

Unfunded Mandates
In adopting Initiative 601, Washington voters required the Legislature to provide adequate funding to local governments when it mandates new or expanded local responsibilities. This same policy also is implicit in the state’s maintaining control of local revenue sources. The state has an obligation to keep local responsibilities within existing revenue sources or to provide additional funding or funding authority when it imposes new mandates.

WSAC Policy:
Counties will seek appropriate funding for all legislative and agency mandates on local governments. Counties will resist new mandates that are not fully funded.