Investments in education, behavioral health, affordable housing, the environment and more

 

Friends and neighbors,

The 2019 legislative session finished on time with a two-year budget that puts people first and reflects our values as a state. Lawmakers made bold investments in education, behavioral health, affordable housing, and the environment. I have received hundreds of e-mails and calls about the programs listed in this update. Below are the investments that you and many others advocated for strongly and asked me to support in the operating, capital (construction) and transportation budgets.

Many thanks to everyone who has contacted me throughout the previous legislative session to stand up for your top priorities.

Sincerely,

Education and higher education

• $1.1 billion to build public schools, including $43 million specifically for rural and distressed schools. The distressed schools program recently funded the renovation of E.C. Hughes School, giving this West Seattle school a new lease on life.
• $973 million for projects at public colleges and universities, with $408 million for community and technical colleges.
• $34 million for a new behavioral health teaching hospital at the University of Washington, which will be one of the first in the nation to provide an innovative and holistic approach to treating mental health and substance use disorder.
• $28.5 million for early learning facilities.
• $1 billion increase in special education funding, from $2.1 billion in 2017-19 to $3.1 billion to 2021-23.
• $155.6 million to increase safety net funding to help more school districts with higher-than-average special education costs and boost funding for professional development for educators to improve their ability to teach students with disabilities.
• We increased the amount school districts can raise in local levies. Statewide, the difference is an increase from about $1.9 billion to $2.6 billion for the 2020 calendar year. Locally, this will be a big help for Seattle, Highline, and Vashon schools.
• $375 million in new resources for higher education. The Workforce Education Investment Act (E2SHB 2158) expands and fully funds the Washington College Grant (formerly the State Need Grant). The Grant provides free public college tuition for families making up to 55% of the state median income (about $50K/year in 2019 for a family of four). It also provides partial assistance to families making up to 100% of the state median income ($92K/year for a family of four). This includes $61 million for nurse educator salary increases at the community and technical colleges (many nurse educations have been making far less to train nurses than nurses themselves make in the workforce), and $66 million for operating costs, which includes compensation for faculty these institutions. I’ve heard from many community and technical college faculty, staff, and students in our district about their difficulty keeping up with the high cost of living in our region, and these new resources will go a long way to help.

Behavioral Health

• $154 million for projects at state mental health facilities, including the design of a new forensic hospital and the design and construction of new behavioral health facilities throughout the state.
• $120 million for Community Behavioral Health Capacity grants. These competitive grants go to behavioral health facilities to create more treatment options in our communities.
• $35 million for Permanent Supportive Housing, which helps those at high risk of homelessness obtain permanent, affordable housing and voluntary access to support services (like medical care) as long as they meet the basic obligations of tenancy, such as paying rent on time. Many tenants in PSH do access the voluntary services offered, which can help them avoid emergency rooms visits that further strain our health care system.

Recreation and conservation

• $585 million for orca, salmon recovery, and water quality projects.
• $85 million for the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program, which funds creation of new local and state parks, protects wildlife habitat, and preserves working farms.
• $50 million for projects at state parks, to shore up services and operations.
• $16 million for forest health and wildfire prevention, including the purchase of two new firefighting helicopters.
• $297 million in increases to the Hazardous Substances Tax (levied on oil refineries) will fund significant improvements in our toxic cleanup program. This enables increased funding for Puget Sound clean-up work and prevention activities, product testing, and financial assistance to local governments with solid waste.
• The Legislature this year prioritized combatting climate change and protecting Washington’s natural environment, and the operating budget reflects those efforts. Funding for efforts to protect our endangered Southern Resident Killer Whale population and increase their prey salmon populations received historic investments.

Housing and other investments

• $175 million for affordable housing development to help address our statewide affordable housing crisis.
• $70 million for energy efficiency, clean energy and weatherization projects.
• $163 million for local and community projects, such as the $620,000 we secured for improving 4^th Avenue SW, revitalizing the streetscape by including crosswalks with full accessible ramps, wide sidewalks for those using wheelchairs and strollers, new pedestrian lighting, canopy trees, and landscaped curb extension to slow down traffic in this high traffic area.
• $54.6 million for arts, building communities and youth recreation programs, including $75,000 to develop and improve existing athletic facilities on Vashon Island to get youth through the age of 18 to participate in outdoor athletics.

Ferries

• Going green: $99 million to start construction on a new hybrid-electric 144-car ferry; $41.5 million to convert one Jumbo ferry to hybrid and funding for an Electric Ferry Planning Team to develop 10- and 20-year plans.
• Maintenance: $204 million for vessel and terminal preservation, $60 million to complete Mukilteo Terminal replacement and $115 million to finish Colman Dock terminal preservation project.

Other investments

• Funds reproductive health care program for all Washington residents including funding for the Alzheimer’s state plan – $300k at the Department of Health for implementation of the initiative, plus $233k the Aging & Long-Term Supports Administration of the Department of Social and Health Services to contract with an organization to provide legal services and advanced care planning for people with dementia and their families. Lastly, there is $482k for a Dementia Telemedicine program at UW.
• Hunger Relief – $1.5 million for HB 1893, which provides emergency food and housing aid to college students in the form of small grants, so they can focus on their education instead of where their next meal is coming from.
• Housing and Essential Needs program increase: $14.5 million invested in the HEN program, which funds emergency cash grants and rental assistance to people who are unable to work due to a physical or mental disability. The increase expands program eligibility to include Aged, Blind, and Disabled program participants.
• Funds 2020 Census outreach & promotion efforts – 19-21: $15.2 million
• Funds Clean Energy & Clean Buildings programs & legislation – 19-21: $6.9 million
• Funding for statewide prepaid postage on all election ballots – 19-21: $4.8 million