The state’s new capital budget will build things like elementary schools, parks and college science labs – while creating 33,000 private jobs in the struggling construction sector.
“Our population is growing because Washington is a great place to live,” said Rep. Hans Dunshee (D-Snohomish), Capital Budget chair. “That means more kids need schools, more families need parks and more college kids need lecture halls and dorms. Building those things creates jobs today and jobs tomorrow.”
Earlier in the session, the House passed a construction budget out of the Capital Budget Committee on a unanimous vote.
That bipartisan support continued with strong votes in the House 79-4 and the Senate 47-0 for the $3.6 billion budget, which includes reforms to save taxpayer money by looking at the total cost of a building over it’s lifetime, not just the construction cost. Those yearly costs include energy and maintenance.
For details about the construction budget, including local projects, go to:
https://leap.leg.wa.gov/leap/budget/detail/2013/hc1315p.asp
