This week a very important new state committee — the Joint Legislative-Executive Committee on Budget Transparency and Fiscal Sustainability — had its first meeting. Our president, Rachel Smith, is honored to be serving on the committee alongside legislators, state agency staff, and labor representatives. If we’re serious about changing the budget trajectory and building something sustainable, we have to acknowledge both external pressures and the policy and political decisions that contributed to getting us here. And to solve problems, we need to say all the things that are true. Join the conversation on LinkedIn.

Roundtable members are making significant investments in Washington communities — from affordable housing and workforce education to aerospace manufacturing and outdoor recreation. Here’s just a sampling of recent news from around our table:

Amazon’s Housing Equity Fund committed $6.7 million in low-cost capital toward The Pointe at Thomas, a new affordable housing development on Seattle’s Capitol Hill. Amazon’s housing fund is a $3.6 billion commitment to help create and preserve more than 35,000 affordable homes in the Puget Sound, National Capital, and Nashville regions.

Boeing opened its new North Line at the Everett factory on July 10 — a $1 billion investment adding a 737 MAX assembly line and expanding the company’s single-aisle production capacity in Washington state.

Expedia Group launched the Expedia Trails Fund, committing $4.3 million across 11 projects to restore trails and protect landscapes, including natural areas near Seattle.

JPMorganChase is expanding access to high-quality K–12 personal finance education through its American Dream Initiative.

Starbucks marked nearly 20,000 graduates of the Starbucks College Achievement Plan, with its largest-ever class of partners earning degrees from Arizona State University.

T-Mobile completed its five-year Hometown Grants program, investing $22.8 million in 500 small-town community projects nationwide since 2021.