OLYMPIA—Housing, parks, education, colleges, and the environment are highlights of the new state construction budget.
“These aren’t just numbers on a page,” said Rep. Davina Duerr (D-Bothell). “Every project represents the dreams of a community and years of hard work and planning. These projects create jobs and hope throughout our state and right here in the 1st District.”
The state has three budgets: operating, which pays for day-to-day costs; transportation; and the capital budget, overseeing construction projects.
Here are top-level highlights of the $7.5 billion, two-year budget, which passed with overwhelming bipartisan support:
Affordable Housing
The new two-year budget invests a historic total of $782 million in housing and homelessness programs. This includes a record-setting $605 million for the Housing Trust Fund, directly funding the construction of affordable housing.
K-12 and early learning
There is nearly $1 billion for K-12 school construction and early learning facilities. That total includes $202 million for small district and tribal compact schools, $151 million for school seismic safety, and $100 million for early learning facilities.
Fish, water, and natural resources
There are significant investments in salmon hatcheries, floodplain safety, and environmental protection, with $365 million in projects for salmon and steelhead recovery. The budget also invests $120 million in the Washington Wildlife & Recreation Program and $171 million for water infrastructure.
Behavioral Health
The budget includes $130 million in grants for projects expanding behavioral health care capacity in community settings and funds the completion of the new forensic hospital facility at Western State Hospital.
For more details about the capital budget—or the state operating budget and transportation budget–visit fiscal.wa.gov.
There are also $9 million in projects here in the 1st District:
CHC of Snohomish County (Lynnwood High School), health and behavioral clinic fund, $419,000
Northshore Senior Center Battery Storage, $650,000
Brier Park Bathroom Rebuild, $489,000
Lake Forest Park, Lakefront Park, $1.03 million
Woodcrest Neighborhood Utility Improvement Project, $1.5 million
UW Bothell – Asset Preservation (Minor Works), $4.53 million
Lakefront Park Development, $521,000