Public safety tops La Center’s list of priorities heading into the 2026 legislative session, but Mayor Tom Strobehn isn’t optimistic the city’s full slate of funding requests will make the cut.
With Washington’s budget stretched thin, Strobehn said his focus is on securing funds for projects that could save lives.
“The message I send to them is, you know, overall I think the people want responsible spending,” Strobehn said. “We don't want to spend more than what we make or bring in. That's not fair to the taxpayers.”
Among the city’s highest priorities are the La Center Road lighting project and a multi-use path along La Center Road connecting downtown with the I-5 junction and the nearby ilani Casino.
Lighting up La Center Road
The city is requesting $1 million to install lighting along La Center Road, which links downtown to the freeway and serves as a major route for commuters, cyclists and pedestrians. The road currently has no streetlights and only one lane in each direction.
“We’ve had the crashes on La Center Road coming into town, and it’s dark, and we have a lot of people that run on that road,” Strobehn said. “We have high schoolers who do cross country on that road.”
“If we light it up with some street lights, maybe that'll help save a life,” he added. “It’s vital to the infrastructure for the city and to the people.”
Strobehn said the city has seen serious and fatal crashes along that stretch over the years.
“There have been lives that are lost on there,” he said, noting Counselor Sean Boyle’s mother-in-law had a broken neck from a wreck on that road. The mayor said a roundabout at its intersection with Timmen Road, currently under the city’s growth plan, would have prevented the crash.
Multi-use path and corridor expansion
The city is also seeking $5.9 million for a 1.5-mile, 10-foot-wide multi-use path along La Center Road. The project would connect the downtown area to the junction, providing a dedicated route for pedestrians and cyclists.
That project ties into a much larger La Center Road corridor improvement, with a $1.5 million request for early design work. The long-term plan includes expanding the road to four lanes and adding roundabouts at each end.
“That’s going to be at least $50 million,” Strobehn said. “Right now we’ve got Breezy Creek that we’ve got to finish up... and then at the same time, we’ll start going for federal funding for that four-lane expansion.”
While the corridor project is several years away, Strobehn said safety improvements, including lighting and pathways, must come first.
“It’ll set the tone for when you’re coming into La Center and for safety for the neighborhoods that are going to be built off to the sides of it,” he said.
Downtown 2.0 and long-term growth
The city is also seeking $1.5 million to construct its plaza at the new “Downtown 2.0,” an expansion west of Pacific Highway featuring mixed-use development, shops, affordable housing, and park space.
“I think it’s going to shape not only the economic future but the cultural future of La Center,” Strobehn said. “That’s where the heartbeat of the city will be moved to.”
The project will preserve the original 1800s homestead on site, converting it into a museum and reusing wood from the property’s historic barn for community space improvements. Strobehn said the city will work with the local historical society to showcase pictures and artifacts, showcasing La Center’s history from the 1800s to the Korean War.
“We’ll have an identity with this new downtown,” Strobehn said. “It’s going to bring a good vibe to the city... hopefully wineries or places for people to gather.”
He said one goal is to diversify La Center’s tax base, which still leans heavily on revenue from local cardrooms.
“Right now we’re at about 37-38% of our revenue coming from the card rooms,” Strobehn said. “I want to get to a point where that becomes our piggy bank for a rainy day.”
A cautious outlook
Strobehn said he expects a tough short session in Olympia, given the state’s $2 billion shortfall.
“It’s not looking good — it’s gonna be an ugly session,” he said. “All I can hope is that Governor Ferguson and his team can come up with a balanced budget that doesn’t include increasing tax rates.”
He added that the city’s legislative requests are simple: fund what protects people first.
“Hopefully we can put safety first and come up with a balanced budget,” Strobehn said.
