OLYMPIA, WA – The Senate capital budget proposal passed the Washington State Senate today on a unanimous vote. Supporters say the $7.9 billion budget makes historic investments in affordable housing, behavioral health, environmental protection, school construction, and public safety.
“I’m encouraged by the strong support for this budget,” according to Senator Mark Mullet (D-Issaquah), Vice Chair of the Senate Ways & Means Committee, who is the prime sponsor and lead negotiator for the budget. “This is a historic budget that makes investments across Washington in all the issues that folks are concerned about. I’m particularly excited about the record-setting investments we’re making in affordable housing in this proposal, and I look forward to working with the House to pass a strong capital budget this year.”
Some of the proposed projects for southeast Washington State:
- EWAM Handicap Parking Improvement Project (Pomeroy) $98,000
- Asotin/Anatone School District ($35,000)
- Whitman County Fire Recovery ($961,000)
- Oakesdale School District ($38,000)
- Starbuck School District ($33,000)
- Colfax Pool (Colfax) $706,000
- LG Pomeroy Football Field Improvements $350,000
- Pullman Depot Heritage Center – Restoration $237,000
- State Lands Development and Renovation:
SLDR Asotin Creek Wildlife Area Access Points $153,000
SLDR Asotin Creek Wildlife Area Campgrounds $280,000
The WSU projects include:
- Engineering Student Success Building construction ($40 million)
- Eastlick-Abelson Hall renovation ($22 million)
- Infrastructure improvements at Knott Dairy Farm, source of the milk for Cougar Gold cheese ($10 million)
- Bustad Hall renovation ($8 million)
- Clean building standard energy efficiency improvements ($5 million)
A full list of projects and programs funded is available on fiscal.wa.gov. Search by county here.
Highlights include a record-setting $400 million for the Housing Trust Fund, part of a total of $625 million for housing investments. The budget also includes $650 million for a new forensic hospital at Western State, a historic $120 million for the Washington Wildlife & Recreation Program, regional training centers for law enforcement across Washington, $100 million for school construction in small rural and tribal districts, $1.2 billion for higher education projects, and much more.
The House is expected to release its capital budget proposal in the coming days — the two budgets will negotiate to a final agreement to be passed by both chambers before the end of the session on Sunday, April 23rd.
The version of the 2023-25 state capital budget unanimously passed today by the Senate would address both statewide needs and local projects, according to 9th District Sen. Mark Schoesler (R-Ritzville).
“The Senate’s capital budget would respond to needs all throughout Washington, and provide funding for important projects in a wide variety of categories, from education and public safety to housing and water and more,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville and the Republican lead on the Senate capital budget. “I’m pleased this budget would support many projects that will help our colleges and universities, and I’m especially glad to see money for school seismic-safety grants, which is important since our state is in earthquake country. I’m also pleased by the funding for water-supply projects, which would benefit agriculture and other water users. The Senate’s capital budget takes a statewide approach, as it should, but it also funds several projects in the 9th District.
“This is a true bipartisan capital budget in which Republicans and Democrats worked together for the good of Washington. I’m pleased with it both from a local perspective and how it would help the state overall,” added Schoesler, who has worked on the Senate capital budget since 2021.
The Senate capital budget would provide $1.2 billion for higher education, including funding for projects at Washington State University and Eastern Washington University, both in the 9th District. It also would provide significant funding to water-supply projects in the Columbia, Yakima, and Chehalis River basins.
The Senate plan also would offer funding for two State Patrol crime labs, as well as the construction of criminal justice training centers in Spokane, Bellingham, and Clark County so that law-enforcement officers can receive needed training closer to home. The Senate spending plan also includes $625 million for housing-related investments.
