OLYMPIA – State lawmakers passed a final two-year capital (construction) budget on Sunday by a nearly unanimous vote, sending it to the governor’s desk for signature in the final hours of the 2019 legislative session.
The nearly $5 billion budget includes big wins for Spokane, including funding to increase behavioral health capacity, house more homeless and at-risk youth, and ensure more children with developmental delays will have access to the services that help them thrive.
A total of nearly $12 million is allocated for projects in the 3rd Legislative District, which is comprised of the heartland of the downtown Spokane area, extending to the North Side and South Hill. These projects include:
- $1 million for Crosswalk Teen Shelter and Transitional Housing Project to move the facility out of downtown and provide a safe location for teens and double their capacity. This investment will help focus programming on housing, education and employment that provides a pathway out of homelessness for young people in our community.
- $1 million for a new University District facility for Joya Child & Family Development (formerly Spokane Guilds’ School & Neuromuscular Center), increasing the number of children who will receive services.
- $1.55 million for the Museum of Arts and Culture, including $1 million for restoration and rehabilitation of Campbell House.
- $350,000 for the Carl Maxey Center, a new community center in Spokane’s East Central Neighborhood. Once completed, the remodeled Maxey Center will incorporate Spokane’s little-known African American history into the structure of the building through an interactive display. The Center will also host community events, lectures and workshops.
- $400,000 for Carlyle Housing Facility Upgrades for the 74-unit service-enriched housing program for individuals involved in the criminal justice system.
- $726,000 for the Don Kardong Bridge rehabilitation.
- $1 million for the Proclaim Liberty Early Learning Center in the South Perry Neighborhood.
- $2.4 million to expand capacity for community behavioral health treatment.
“This is a win for Spokane. The strategic investments in our community will increase access to behavioral health services, quality early learning, and housing support for teens and other vulnerable groups. This positive outcome for Spokane is the result of the productive teamwork of community members, locally elected officials and our legislative delegation. Spokane will see their benefits for years to come,” said Sen. Andy Billig, D-Spokane.
“It’s always an honor to work with my seatmates and members of the Capital Budget Committee to do good things for Spokane, for our region, and for the entire state. Whether it’s a community center, a museum, a neighborhood health center, or a safe place for at-risk teens, these are the kinds of investments in people and communities that make a real difference in real lives, every day,” said Rep. Timm Ormsby, D-Spokane.
“As a long time member of the House Capital Budget Committee, I am glad to be in position to help deliver on important community projects that will improve the overall well being of our area and put people first. I am very grateful for the local leaders and citizens that spent countless hours advocating in Spokane and Olympia. Working together, we brought home a record number of projects and state funding that I know will move Spokane forward now and in the future,” said Rep. Marcus Riccelli, D-Spokane.