Over the weekend, the Washington state Legislature managed to pass its budgets for the next biennium ahead of the session’s April 27 deadline.
While the budget process was mostly fought along party lines this year, minority Republicans have praised the $7.6 billion capital budget, which received unanimous support in both houses.
Republicans involved in the budget process labeled it a budget “for the entire state,” highlighting statewide impacts, responsible spending and bipartisan cooperation.
“I’m proud of how we held firm on the things the Senate views as most important, which include investments that will be seen in all four corners of the state,” said Sen. Perry Dozier, R-Waitsburg, assistant Republican leader for the Senate Capital Budget.
“Education and behavioral health are priorities in rural Washington as much as anywhere in our state, and that is reflected here. It’s a solid budget, and deserving of the strong bipartisan support it received today.”
The budget boasts significant funding for K-12 schools as well as affordable housing and behavioral health.
$975 million was carved out for K-12 school construction, maintenance and upgrades with nearly $430 million supporting the School Construction Assistance Program and just over $202 million going toward small district and tribal compact school modernization.
More than $600 million of the $761 million dedicated to affordable housing will fund the Housing Trust Fund which provides grant funding for new affordable housing projects
State Rep. Peter Abbarno, R-Centralia, who serves as an assistant ranking member on the Capital Budget Committee, and fellow 20th District lawmaker Rep. Ed Orcutt, R-Kalama, also announced their support of the new capital budget, pointing out more than $91 million in spending on projects that will impact their district.
“This budget reflects what happens when legislators put people ahead of politics,” Abbarno said. “We secured vital investments that strengthen our communities, create opportunity and improve quality of life across Southwest Washington. From safe drinking water projects and flood protection to youth athletic facilities and historic preservation, these projects will have a lasting impact on future generations.”
The biggest price tag for local projects is $75 million dedicated to the Chehalis Basin Strategy, which funds projects throughout the 19th, 20th, 24th and 35th legislative districts dedicated to restoring fish habitat and reducing catastrophic flooding.
The program, which is supported by the Office of the Chehalis Basin and the Chehalis Basin Board, has received $70 million in the last two bienniums and requested $80 million in funding this biennium to fund the increasing size and scale of the projects they hope to undertake.
“The legislative appropriation is $5 million more than proposed by Governor Inslee,” said Chehalis Basin Board member and Chehalis resident J. Vander Stoep. “Legislators, especially our local legislators and the others who represent parts of the Chehalis Basin, Republicans and Democrats, see the progress being made with more than 140 fish and local flood projects done on-time and on-budget. They want the process to continue until we have a basin-wide flood protection system and a basin-wide fish and habitat recovery plan completed … They see the combined work of local officials, farmers, tribal leaders and environmental representatives working together as an unusual and positive thing.”
