Budget promotes job creation, higher education access
OLYMPIA – In the final hours of the special session, lawmakers in the state House of Representatives passed a two-year state construction budget on a unanimous vote that will fund construction and repair of public works and other projects in Clallam and Jefferson counties.
Rep. Steve Tharinger (D – Sequim), who serves on the House Capital Budget committee, says although this budget is smaller than the previous biennial construction budget, it will help create jobs on the Olympic Peninsula that will have a positive economic impact for years to come.
“These projects will put people to work, and they will be working for the benefit of our communities and our quality of life,” Tharinger said.
Former military barracks at Fort Worden State Park will be renovated into classroom space thanks to available state funding. The new space will become Peninsula College’s Building 202, a project Tharinger says will provide Jefferson County residents with access to more higher education options.
There is also funding for wastewater construction projects in Port Hadlock and Carlsborg, which Tharinger says will provide a major economic boost to the area.
“The Carlsborg project alone sustains 1100 jobs,” Tharinger said. “The state provides $10 million through the Public Works Trust Fund, but over the life of the loan it is expected to generate $440 million in economic activity. That’s a great return on investment.”
Two Port Townsend-area projects that had been in the originally-proposed House Capital Budget did not make the final version passed today. Funding for a roof rehabilitation and seismic retrofit of the historic Jefferson County Courthouse, and a seismic retrofit of the Port Townsend Carnegie Library building were both missing from the project list.
Rep. Kevin Van De Wege (D – Sequim), who co-chairs the Legislature’s Heritage Caucus, says although these projects didn’t make the final cut today, they would remain a priority for a possible supplemental capital budget next year.
“It’s extremely disappointing that we were unable to provide the funding now, but we aren’t going to give up on these worthwhile projects,” Van De Wege said. “We will continue to look for ways to fund the retrofit and repair of our historic courthouse and library buildings, so that the public can continue to get many years of use out of them.”
The construction budget was the last remaining of the three state budgets awaiting House passage. Yesterday, the House passed a two-year state operating budget. A two-year Transportation budget cleared the Legislature during the 2011 regular session.
Today is the final day of the special session. The construction budget must still be passed by the Senate before midnight, but with both chambers already having agreed to the proposal it is expected to go through on time.