Dear friends and neighbors,
We’re now in week eight of this year’s legislative session, with things wrapping up in Olympia next Thursday, March 7! This 60-day session has gone by rather swiftly. In previous newsletters, I’ve given the indication that this year’s work on the transportation budget meant finding creative solutions to some of our challenges.
In today’s newsletter, I’m happy to share the House’s proposal of the 2024 supplemental transportation budget, a bipartisan effort, which was released last week. Additionally, I recently sponsored Thomas Hobson as a page in my office, and I also have photos to share of the town hall I recently had with my seatmates, Speaker Laurie Jinkins and Sen. Yasmin Trudeau, on Saturday, Feb. 17.
The 2024 Supplemental Transportation Budget
Last Monday, on Feb. 19, the House unveiled a supplemental transportation budget totaling $14.3 billion, an increase of $821 million for the enacted biennial budget. This budget focuses on ferries, traffic safety, highway projects (construction, as well as preservation and maintenance), fish passages, and more.
This proposal is a bipartisan budget, and while my fellow lawmakers and I did have to look at sizing a number of projects down and waiting until there is more money available, we do honor our commitments to Connecting Washington and Move Ahead Washington. This includes honoring our promise to keep the Puget Sound Gateway Program and electrification at the Port of Tacoma on track.
What we aim to do with this proposal is avoid getting into further difficulty and increasing our deficit. With this budget proposal, we are maintaining the dollars allocated to transportation projects, yet what this unfortunately means is that some projects will need to be rebid and/or phased. For more information, I encourage you to read the press release that went out about this budget by clicking here.
I also took questions from the media on the day of this proposed budget’s release. You can check it out by clicking here or on the image below.
The 2024 supplemental transportation budget was heard on the House floor on Feb. 24 and passed with a vote of 93-2. It is now under consideration in the Senate. The Senate also released their proposal of the 2024 supplemental transportation budget on Feb. 20 and is up for a vote in the Senate today. Negotiations are now underway to find compromises both chambers can agree to and create a transportation budget that will work best for the state and the people of Washington.
Meet Thomas Hobson, a Page in My Office
It was an honor to recently sponsor Thomas Hobson for his service as a page in the Washington State House of Representatives. Thomas is a student at St. Charles Borromeo in Tacoma and is the child of Noreen and Louis Hobson of Tacoma.
During Thomas’ week of service as a page, he took on diverse responsibilities, including presenting the flags to distributing amendments on the House floor, and contributing significantly to the smooth functioning of the legislature.
Beyond their daily duties, pages engage in valuable civics instruction, had the opportunity to craft their own bills, and actively participate in mock committee hearings. Pages’ involvement not only supported the effective operation of the legislature, but also provides them with firsthand experience in the democratic process. Thank you for your public service and civic engagement during your time in my office, Thomas!
Our Feb. 17 Town Hall
It was great to see so many of you turn out for our recent town hall. It’s always great meeting with you face-to-face and taking your questions. We enjoyed the Q&A with you!
Sincerely,
