Plan would build schools, housing, infrastructure; local health services, parks also benefit
OLYMPIA — Lawmakers passed a $6.23 billion capital budget April 2 in a unanimous vote, earmarking millions of state and federal funding for investments in community projects and public works — including projects in the cities of Cheney, Airway Heights and Eastern Washington University.
“We’ve put together a budget that not only provides for the infrastructure needs of big urban centers, but prioritizes rural communities struggling to survive in the pandemic’s aftermath,” Rep. Mike Steele, R-Chelan, said in a statement.
The largest amount of appropriates for the West Plains went to Eastern Washington University, which could receive $45 million for phase 1 of the proposed renovation of its Science Building, constructed in 1962. Phase 1 would renovate approximately one half of the facility, 148,100 square feet of space. Funding for phase 2 would be slated for the 2023 – 2025 biennial budget.
The university also stands to receive another $11.517 million for a variety of other projects such as infrastructure and including $300,000 for “predesign to create the Lucy Covington Center” as a location to help attract and retain Native American students while also educating the region through interdisciplinary partnerships with local tribes and communities.
Cheney could receive $17.05 million for its proposed “Purple Pipe” water reclamation project, upgrading the output of its wastewater treatment plant to drinking water standards to be used to irrigate the city’s parks, fields and open spaces as well as similar Cheney School District facilities.
Like Cheney, Airway Heights could also receive $16.05 million in funding from the Department of Commerce for design and construction of a new water well. Funding for both cities projects would be in the form of a loan from the Public Works Board.
For education, the proposal plans $781.7 million for the K-12 School Construction Assistance Program and $679 million for state four-year institutions. The proposal also offers $191 million for the construction of the University of Washington teaching hospital.
The budget also includes funding for local projects and grants, with $227 million in loans and grants for the Public Works Board and $94 million statewide for community projects. Another $175 million would go toward the Housing Trust Fund. Almost $26 million would go toward grants to increase homeless shelter capacity.
“We invest $90 million in what we call rapid housing acquisition ... What that is designed to do is to help communities in immediate need to get people housed,” Sen. David Frockt, D-Seattle, said.
Money for local health services would also get funding, with $69.5 million dedicated for the Western State Hospital, Eastern State Hospital and other state facilities. Eastern State Hospital in Medical Lake stands to receive $3.58 million in funding, with $1.055 million slated for electronic integrated safety systems at Eastern and Westlake facilities and $1.45 million for HVAC control system upgrades at Eastern.
Improving state parks is also prioritized in the capital budget. The State Parks and Recreation Commission would get $56.7 million for parks across the state. Longer-term projects would get $5.7 billion — some of which comes from general obligation bonds — for schools, public works and parks.
The plan would dedicate $33.7 million for the Yakima River Basin and $31.7 million for the Office of the Columbia River.
Another $189 million from the Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund would fund health monitoring and educational projects. The Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund invests $400 million in expanding broadband access, water and sewage.
The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration.
Cheney Free Press managing editor John McCallum contributed to this story.
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