2025 Whatcom County Council Scorecard
How Did Your Local Officials Vote in 2025?
Future 42 Whatcom County is a local county project committed to advocating for key issues such as public safety, housing affordability, and tax relief. As a grassroots effort, we believe local government works best when citizens are informed, engaged, and willing to speak up on the decisions that affect their communities, businesses, and future.
This year, we completed our third annual local scorecard for Whatcom County and launched our first for Bellingham and Ferndale, highlighting key votes taken by councilmembers in 2025. While we do not expect public officials to share our position on every vote, we believe residents should be able to clearly see how their local councilmembers vote on major issues.
Here is our recently published scorecard for the Whatcom County Council.
A. 2026 Supplemental Budget Increase (Ordinance 2025-055): Budget amendment increasing the 2026 Whatcom County budget by $20.97 million as part of the County’s mid-biennium review, prompting concerns about continued budget growth and fiscal discipline. Passed 4-3 (F42 opposed)
B. Contract Approval Threshold (Ordinance 2025-028): Ordinance raising the contract approval threshold from $40,000 to $75,000, reducing direct Council oversight. Passed 4-3 (F42 opposed)
C. Planning Policies (Ordinance 2025-049): Updates to Countywide Planning Policies guiding long-term land use, housing, transportation, water, and growth decisions, raising concerns about added regulatory burdens and long-term housing cost pressures. Passed 4-3 (F42 opposed)
D. Project/Permit Review Reform (Ordinance 2025-005): Code changes to streamline project and permit review timelines in line with state law requirements, supporting greater predictability and accountability in the permitting process. Passed 6-0-1 (F42 supported)
E. Water Rights Legal Defense (AB2025-429): $300,000 increase to the outside legal services contract for water rights litigation to defend the County’s position. Passed 5-2 (F42 opposed)
F. Sheriff’s Office Facility Lease (AB2025-782): Lease for a Sheriff’s Office facility to address space and operational needs, supporting improved readiness and workspace capacity for public safety personnel. Passed 6-0-1 (F42 supported)
Our scorecards are meant to keep the community informed, promote accountability, and encourage civic engagement. We encourage residents to contact their elected officials, attend council meetings, and learn more here: https://www.