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...
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...
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...
The Whatcom County Council is considering a new 0.1% sales tax that some councilmembers are proposing for criminal justice purposes. Future 42 Whatcom’s position is that the decision should be put to voters, not implemented solely by a majority of the County Council. Major tax decisions are often put before voters and regularly are by...
Today, 40+ local businesses in Whatcom County sent a joint letter to the Washington State Legislature expressing their concerns regarding the proposed state income tax, SB 6346. The letter urges the Legislature to reject the income tax in order to avoid negative impacts on Washington’s economy. To the Honorable Members of the Washington State Legislature,...
Local elected leaders from across Washington are speaking out against the proposal to create a state income tax, warning it could harm communities, small businesses, and the state’s economic competitiveness. In the letter below (and available as a pdf here), they urge lawmakers to reject the plan and instead pursue policies that support growth and...
An important development for Whatcom County is happening now in Olympia. HB 2489, a bill that severely limits local governments’ ability to manage camping and encampments in public spaces, passed out of the House Housing Committee on a 9–8 vote. The deciding vote was cast by Representative Joe Timmons, our 42nd District State House Representative and a member of the Housing Committee. For many cities, those standards in this...
Thank you for staying engaged and informed on the local issues shaping our county. As a follow-up to our recent email outlining the AltaGas Ferndale Terminal proposal and review process, we want to share an important update and a clear opportunity to participate. In 2024, AltaGas | ALA Energy submitted a regulatory application to Whatcom County for...
Many in Whatcom County have heard about recent activity at the AltaGas / ALA Energy Ferndale Terminal, located in the Cherry Point industrial area near Ferndale. This overview provides context on the project and the permitting process now underway, and why it has drawn attention and support from the community. A Major Investment in an...
Severe flooding has impacted communities across Whatcom County, leaving many residents facing damage, displacement, and uncertainty. We want to start by thanking first responders, emergency management teams, public works crews, and local volunteers who have stepped up immediately to protect people, pets and property and support recovery and clean-up efforts. If you or someone you know needs...
When we shared our comprehensive voters guide to the 12 Charter amendments in October, our goal was to make it easier to understand what was on your ballot and why these once-a-decade proposals matter. Thanks to strong voter engagement, Whatcom County saw clear and encouraging results. Every one of the seven amendments we took a position on...
What’s Happening The Whatcom County Council will hold a public hearing tonight (Wednesday) to authorize a series of property tax increases for collection in 2026. Date: Wednesday, November 5, 6 pm Location: Whatcom County Chambers, 311 Grand Ave, Bellingham (Hybrid- in person and virtual) Agenda link: View on Legistar Most taxes (below) are proposed to increase by 1 percent, which...
As ballots arrive today or over the weekend, Whatcom County voters are being asked to decide on 12 proposed amendments to the County Charter, which will appear on the ballot as Propositions 1 through 12. These measures range from minor housekeeping updates to significant changes in how our local government operates. At Future 42, our mission is...
On Wednesday, September 3rd (6:00–7:30 PM), Whatcom County is hosting its first County Government Open House at the County Courthouse on 311 Grand Ave., Suite 105, Bellingham, WA. This is more than a meet-and-greet, it’s an important opportunity to ask tough questions and demand accountability on the things affecting our community. Here’s why it matters: In...