Editor’s note: This letter, written by League of Women Voters of Washington board member Dee Anne Finken and sent to 49 senators and 98 representatives in Washington State, has been signed by dozens of local news outlet and journalism leaders. Those signatories include Sound Publishing, which publishes the Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber and many other regional newspapers.

We, the undersigned Washington news organizations, write to express our united support for Senate Bill 5400. It is a vital proposal that strengthens local journalism and responsibly generates new state revenue, with no impact to the General Fund.

SB 5400 is a win-win. It provides direct support for local news coverage in communities increasingly becoming news deserts, and it funds itself through a modest surcharge on large social media and search companies that have long profited from the content local journalists create. When people lack access to trustworthy information about their communities, democracy suffers. However, with strong local journalism present in our communities, civic engagement, accountability and connection thrive.

The bill creates the Washington Local News Sustainability Program, which would distribute grants to local newsrooms, helping them retain and hire experienced journalists, and expand coverage to underserved areas. Importantly, only responsible, community-focused news outlets are eligible. To qualify, recipients must produce original journalism, maintain editorial independence, and meet ethical standards. This ensures resources support journalism that truly serves the public interest.

Funding would come from a 1.22% surcharge on the gross income of large, for-profit social media and search companies. These corporations have profited enormously from content produced by local journalists without offering compensation. Yet the amount these firms would contribute to the program would be capped at $6 million annually.

These platforms use our reporting to drive their advertising revenue, yet contribute nothing back to the work that powers their platforms. SB 5400 begins to correct this imbalance without placing any burden on individual taxpayers or small businesses.

Across Washington, small and nonprofit newsrooms cover communities of hundreds of thousands with only a handful of reporters on staff. They report on public safety, education, government, and culture. These are stories that connect neighbors and inform public decisions. In some cases, philanthropy has helped play a role in supporting local journalism, but it cannot meet the scale of this crisis alone. Public policy must be part of the solution.

We want to emphasize that this is not a bailout. It’s a smart, sustainable investment in the infrastructure of democracy. Many legislators have told us they only learned of pressing issues in their districts because of local reporting. Without our reporting, that awareness and accountability will disappear.

We urge you to support SB 5400 and include it in the final budget. Doing so will help preserve journalism jobs, strengthen communities, and continue shared access to the credible, community-centered news all Washingtonians deserve.

Thank you for your consideration.

The League of Women Voters of Washington assisted in the creation and distribution of this letter. In 2022, after extensive study, League members reached consensus throughout Washington and then the United States to adopt a position in support of local news: The League of Women Voters believes it is the responsibility of the government to provide support for conditions under which credible local journalism can survive and thrive.

Furthermore, the League believes that support for the viability of local news may take a variety of forms and that control of the content must remain exclusively with the news organizations.