House Operating Budget Would Cut MRSC Funding Effective July 1

The Municipal Research and Services Center (MRSC) relies primarily on state funding to provide essential education, training, and support services to local governments across Washington State.

This week, the Washington State House and Senate each released their proposed 2025-2027 operating budgets. While the Senate budget maintains MRSC's funding at current levels, the House budget threatens to significantly reduce MRSC's funding.

For more than 90 years, MRSC has been a "go-to" resource, offering high-quality, essential services that are crucial for local governments' daily operations. Our longevity is a testament to the indispensable support we provide to our partners.

Brett Wachsmith, MRSC's board president and a Kittitas County commissioner, says:

When I was a newly elected official transitioning from the private sector, MRSC was an indispensable resource in helping me quickly acclimate to my new role. Their prompt replies to my inquiries are always accurate and non-partisan, reflecting an unparalleled depth of knowledge that I can consistently rely on.

Debra Casparian, President of the Washington State Association of Municipal Attorneys (WSAMA), says:

I was disheartened to learn about the state Legislature's proposed budget cuts to MRSC. WSAMA relies heavily on MRSC to support its work and mission of providing educational resources and conferences to all the public and private attorneys across this state who practice municipal law. As a practicing municipal lawyer, MRSC is invaluable to me and my clients.

MRSC's primary funding represents a partnership of city and county support that does not impact the State's general operating fund.

MRSC's allocation comes from pooling a small portion of the liquor revenues that would otherwise be distributed to cities and counties. This collaborative use of resources has provided local governments access to shared services and expertise that serve as a lifeline – critical support that many local governments would otherwise be unable to afford.

In 2024, MRSC's services included:

• Answering 4,500 inquiry requests from more than 635 local and state agencies
• Publishing website resources accessed by 2.3 million visitors, including state agency and legislative staff
• Conducting 100 trainings for over 10,000 attendees, including our popular week-long finance bootcamps that help local governments better manage taxpayer dollars and prevent fraud
• Providing over 10,400 newsletter subscribers with weekly updates on new laws, court decisions, trends, and best practices impacting local governments

For more information about the proposed state budget impacts on MRSC and other local government services, see the Association of Washington Cities (AWC) comparison of the proposed House and Senate budgets.