Cascade Party
A new path in Washington State politics.
A new path in Washington State politics.
Approved at January 24, 2026 Convention
WHEREAS, Washington State is currently facing a severe housing affordability and supply crisis, with projections indicating a need to construct 1.1 million new housing units over the next 20 years to accommodate population and job growth; and
WHEREAS, current housing production has stagnated at approximately 33,600 units per year, the lowest level since the Great Recession, leaving a deficit of roughly 22,000 units annually against the target of 55,000; and
WHEREAS, bureaucratic hurdles have resulted in permitting timelines averaging 6.5 months statewide and exceeding 18 months in some municipalities, creating uncertainty that deters capital investment and drives developers to other regions; and
WHEREAS, the Cascade Party recognizes that public funding alone could never fill the housing gap and that a dynamic partnership with the private sector is required to unlock capital, land, and innovation. And that the private sector has dramatically lower unit costs than public sector development.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Cascade Party adopts the following four-point "Housing New Deal" framework to guide state and local policy:
SECTION 1: UNLOCKING LAND THROUGH REZONING. The Cascade Party urges state policymakers to adopt a mandatory statewide rezoning framework for commercial corridors. Underutilized land currently designated for office parks, big-box retail, and extensive parking lots shall be rezoned to allow for high-density, mixed-use housing, specifically targeting areas along mass transit routes to foster sustainable, walkable communities.
SECTION 2: STREAMLINING THE PERMITTING PROCESS. We call for immediate legislative action to reform regulatory layers that stifle development. The Party supports imposing strict statutory limits on permit review times and standardizing processes across jurisdictions to reduce the statewide average and eliminate the "delay-fueled costs" that increase housing prices.
SECTION 3: INCENTIVIZING DEVELOPMENT AND PRESERVATION. To combat rising material and construction costs, the Cascade Party supports the expansion of financial incentives for developers who commit to workforce and affordable housing. This includes robust tax exemption programs, preservation credits for existing affordable units, and the removal of exclusionary zoning laws that artificially inflate per-unit costs.
SECTION 4: LEVERAGING PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS AND TECHNOLOGY. The Cascade Party advocates for leveraging the resources and expertise of Washington’s technology sector to modernize government operations. We support public-private partnerships that utilize technical assistance to clear permitting backlogs, ensuring that administrative capacity matches the urgency of the housing crisis.
Resolution Supporting the Withdrawal of the Newly Adopted Np Stream Setback Requirements.
WHEREAS, protecting water quality and aquatic ecosystems is a shared priority, and any forest practice standards addressing non-perennial waterways should advance these outcomes through approaches that are scientifically substantiated, proportionate, and attentive to both environmental and community sustainability; and
WHEREAS, The Forest Practices Board adopted an overreaching new standard to the present setbacks of Np (non-perennial waterways) that will negatively impact counties financially where these rules will be enacted; and
WHEREAS, a one size fits all approach is not substantiated by the best available science; and
WHEREAS, per the standards set forth in the Forest and Fish Law requiring economic, historical, and employment impacts must be considered when adopting protection strategies and were not to the extent that is required; and
WHEREAS, The Forest Practices Board effectively cut excise tax proceeds many counties depend on. This defunding includes, but is not limited to, school districts, fire districts, libraries and healthcare, and
WHEREAS, loss of employment, business, land use opportunities will negatively impact the economies counties where the timber industry is a major economic driver; and
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the undersigned body supports:
1. Retraction of the newly adopted Forest Practices Board and revert to the standards that were in place prior to adoption on November 11, 2025.
2. Variable-Width Shade Buffers which provide equal or better effective shade than traditional fixed buffers at most sites.
3. Any future discussion concerning this specific topic cites all scientific analysis, studies, criteria and present publicly for review and comment before any action by the Forest Practices Board.
Resolution Supporting an Interstate 5 Bridge Replacement (IBR) Re-Set
WHEREAS, The scope of the IBR is vastly greater than replacement of the existing Interstate 5 Bridge(s); south of Oregon’s Hayden Island, and,
WHEREAS, The IBR joint committee did not issue new cost estimates due at its December 2025 meeting, and,
WHEREAS, Documents obtained by Willamette Week, reveal the “probable cost” of the IBR mega-project has more than doubled to $13.6 billion.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, Washington State withdraw from the Interstate Bridge Project.
THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, Washington State establish a joint commission with Oregon to begin planning a new bridge starting from the north shore of the Columbia river, spanning into Oregon.
Resolution for new category of residency.
WHEREAS, there is a current lack of leadership with immigration policy, and,
WHEREAS, An estimated 15 million undocumented immigrants are residing in the United States and,
WHEREAS, An estimated 2,400 undocumented immigrants are deported daily and,
WHEREAS, At the rate of 15 million / 2,400, it will take over 17 years to deport today’s undocumented.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, Cascade Party encourage Congress and the President to negotiate a residency status for the current undocumented.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, Any negotiation be based on the Dignity Act of 2025 (H.R. 4393).
Resolution in Support of Hospital Price Transparency and Fair Medical Billing
WHEREAS, patients are entitled to clear, accessible, and accurate information about the prices of hospital services in advance of receiving care; and
WHEREAS, federal hospital price transparency requirements are intended to ensure that patients can understand, compare, and anticipate the cost of medical services; and
WHEREAS, when hospitals fail to comply with these requirements, patients are deprived of meaningful notice of potential financial obligations; and
WHEREAS, it is fundamentally unfair to subject patients to aggressive debt collection practices for charges that were not lawfully or transparently disclosed at the time services were rendered.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, Cascade Party supports policies and enforcement mechanisms that prohibit a hospital or affiliated provider from sending a medical bill to collections for any service provided on a date when the hospital was not in compliance with applicable federal hospital price transparency requirements.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that medical debt arising from non-compliant pricing practices should be deemed unenforceable until such time as the hospital demonstrates full compliance and provides clear, patient-specific price information.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that patients should not suffer credit damage, financial penalties, or coercive collection actions as a result of a hospital’s failure to meet its legal transparency obligations.
Cascade Party Resolution in Support of the Formation of Peninsula County
WHEREAS, the Cascade Party of Washington is founded on the principles of local self-government, subsidiarity, fiscal responsibility, public safety, transparency, and accountable representation; and
WHEREAS, the Key Peninsula and greater Peninsula region of Pierce County is geographically distinct, separated from the county’s urban core, and faces unique transportation, emergency response, infrastructure, and land-use challenges; and
WHEREAS, residents of the Peninsula region contribute significant tax revenue comparable to similarly sized counties, including Island County, yet receive a disproportionately small share of county services, infrastructure investment, and operational attention; and
WHEREAS, despite having a comparable tax base, population scale, and road mileage, the Peninsula region receives only a fraction of the budgetary allocation, service coverage, and public safety resources provided to independent counties of similar size; and
WHEREAS, Peninsula communities experience reduced law enforcement presence, slower emergency response times, underfunded road maintenance, limited public works investment, and insufficient county engagement, creating measurable public safety and quality-of-life concerns; and
WHEREAS, centralized county governance has repeatedly failed to equitably serve geographically remote and semi-rural communities, resulting in policy decisions driven by urban priorities rather than local needs; and
WHEREAS, the Cascade Party affirms that government functions best when decisions are made as close to the people as possible, with local officials accountable to the communities they serve; and
WHEREAS, the proposed formation of Peninsula County would establish a county government sized appropriately to its population, geography, and tax base, allowing for responsive public safety services, locally controlled infrastructure planning, transparent budgeting, and representative governance; and
WHEREAS, county formation is a lawful, constitutional process under Washington State law and represents a legitimate mechanism for correcting long-standing structural inequities in service delivery;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED Cascade Party of Washington formally supports the exploration, development, and advancement of efforts to form Peninsula County as a means of restoring equitable governance, fiscal accountability, and local control to Peninsula residents; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Cascade Party calls on Pierce County leadership to acknowledge the documented service disparities affecting the Peninsula region and to engage in good-faith dialogue regarding structural reforms, including county formation; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Cascade Party encourages Peninsula residents, civic organizations, and local leaders to pursue transparent feasibility studies, public engagement, and lawful procedures necessary to determine the viability of Peninsula County; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Cascade Party affirms its commitment to policies that strengthen local public safety, ensure fair allocation of tax resources, and empower communities to govern themselves effectively.
RESTORATION OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND DISSOLUTION OF KCRHA
WHEREAS, the King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA) has demonstrated a pattern of systemic governance failures and fiscal negligence, evidenced by Washington State Auditor reports (2022–2024) detailing $17.3 million in corrected accounting errors in 2022 and further adjustments of $37.0 million in 2024 due to inadequate financial closing controls; and
WHEREAS, the KCRHA’s reliance on a flawed reimbursement funding model has created chronic liquidity gaps, resulting in a reported cash position of negative ($6.79) million at the end of 2023 and a projected deficit of ($30.41) million for 2025, forcing the Authority to incur overdraft fees and interest expenses exceeding $849,000 as of August 2025; and
WHEREAS, the Authority’s inability to manage cash flow has necessitated emergency, ad-hoc advances from the City of Seattle totaling $19.1 million in 2023 and $58.39 million outstanding by late 2024, effectively masking structural deficits and shifting undue fiscal risk onto municipal taxpayers; and
WHEREAS, audits have confirmed critical compliance gaps in federal pass-through awards, including over $31 million in State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) distributed without required federal award elements, exposing the region to the risk of disallowed costs and future repayment obligations; and
WHEREAS, the non-profit housing sector has increasingly required emergency public "stabilization" funding to cover operational shortfalls (such as the recent $28 million allocation by the City of Seattle) demonstrating that continuing to award capital dollars to organizations without sustainable operating models creates unfunded long-term liabilities for the state; and
WHEREAS, current Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) models lack sufficient safety mandates, leading to environments where drug use and violence destabilize residents and degrade neighborhood safety, contradicting the rehabilitative purpose of these investments and burdening our public safety and EMS services;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED That the Cascade Party adopts the following planks as its official platform on Housing and Homelessness:
SECTION 1: RESTORATION OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND DISSOLUTION OF KCRHA. The Cascade Party calls for the immediate dissolution of the King County Regional Homelessness Authority. Governance shall return to local jurisdictions to eliminate the administrative redundancy that has led to tens of millions in accounting errors and overdraft fees. Future regional coordination must be strictly voluntary and transparent, with no independent taxing authority.
SECTION 2: TIERED, EVIDENCE-BASED HOUSING INTERVENTIONS. Public funds shall be allocated based on strict cost-benefit analysis and demographic need:
30% – 60% Area Median Income (AMI): The government shall prioritize vouchers to utilize existing market-rate inventory. This approach leverages current vacancies immediately rather than waiting for capital-intensive new construction that may cost hundreds of thousands per unit.
60% – 90% AMI: Support shall be provided strictly through supply-side incentives, such as the Multi-Family Tax Exemption (MFTE), to encourage private development of workforce housing without direct public capital expenditure.
SECTION 3: REFORM OF PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING. (0-30% AMI) For deep-subsidy units targeting the 0-30% AMI population:
Safety & Sobriety Mandates: Operators must enforce codes of conduct to significantly reduce drug use and violence.
Mandatory Support Services: Residency in PSH units shall be paired with comprehensive, mandatory support systems including but not limited to mental health, addiction recovery, and job training designed to stabilize individuals, replacing the "housing first, questions later" model with a "housing-plus accountability" standard.
SECTION 4: FISCAL DISCIPLINE FOR SERVICE PROVIDERS. To protect the taxpayer from open-ended liabilities:
Insolvency Bar: Non-profit organizations that repeatedly require emergency supplemental funding for operational costs shall be ineligible for new capital facility grants.
Performance Audits: Continued funding for service providers shall be contingent on meeting defined metrics for housing stability, exit rates, and safety inside and outside of the buildings, not merely bed-night counts.
Excise tax on nicotine and tobacco products.
WHEREAS the new 95% excise tax on nicotine and tobacco products that has effectively doubled the price of all such products, and,
WHEREAS This 95% excise tax hits working-class citizens the hardest and unfairly burdens individuals for their personal choices, and,
WHEREAS, This 95% excise tax affects the business viability of independent stores and shops selling these products.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, excise tax on nicotine and tobacco products sold shall not exceed 20%.
WHEREAS, Street walking prostitution contributes to blight in our public spaces, and,
WHEREAS, Street walking prostitution is the result of human exploitation , and,
WHEREAS, Human exploitation via street walking prostitution fosters general disempowerment, subjugation, gun violence, and gender-based emotional, financial, and physical neglect and harm.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, The Cascade Party supports Stay Out of Prostitution Area (SOAP) restraining orders.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, The Cascade Party supports measures prohibiting Street walking prostitution.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, The Cascade Party recommend local and state government to implement regulations which provide safe conditions for sex work.
Regarding proposed Washington State Senate Bill 6148
WHEREAS, the legislature is considering SB 6148, a bill that would authorize Sound Transit to issue bonds with maturities up to seventy-five years, and
WHEREAS, the long duration bonds issued under such authorization would result in substantially increased debt service, and
WHEREAS, the extended timeline for plan implementation and financing goes far beyond the twenty-five year plan presented to voters in 2016, and
WHEREAS, the Sound Transit Board has begun an “enterprise initiative” to revise the ST3 plan, which may result in less onerous financing needs, and
WHEREAS, the seventy-five year bond maturities would saddle future generations with billions of dollars of debt repayment for a plan they had no opportunity to vote for and which only a small percentage are likely to use, and
WHEREAS, Sound Transit has no immediate need for additional borrowing due to their very large cash reserves that currently exceed seven billion dollars and their dedicated revenue from sales tax, motor vehicle excise tax and property tax, and
WHEREAS, the future value of the facilities Sound Transit may fund with the bond proceeds is highly speculative and may prove to be less than the additional cost, and
WHEREAS, in its twenty-nine years of existence Sound Transit has not shown to be good stewards of the public interest as evidenced by the multi-billion dollar cost overruns, many years of delay, and lower than forecast ridership, and
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: The State Legislature should reject SB 6148 and any other proposals that increase Sound Transit’s authority to issue debt. The Legislature should fund a forward-looking performance audit of Sound Transit the findings of which can inform state transportation plans as well as assist Sound Transit as they consider revisions to the ST3 plan.
Resolution in Support of Upper Grays River Community Forest.
WHEREAS, creating a public development authority to purchase and maintain forest will benefit county residents from better logging practices, timber sales and recreational actives, and,
WHEREAS, timberlands are currently gated and shut the public out, and,
WHEREAS, Washington State is home to many community forests.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the Cascade Party support the creation of an Upper Grays River Community Forest.
