Dear neighbors,
This summer I have had the privilege of attending meetings, events, and tours locally and across our state to learn more about the issues that matter most to you. From early learning and habitat restoration to apprenticeship programs and our correctional facilities, it has been a busy interim so far!
As many of you know, I love solving problems and improving systems, so deep diving into our carceral system has been extremely interesting. One of the many facilities l visited recently was the Washington State Penitentiary. The Department of Corrections shared strategies they were implementing to make our carceral system less traumatic and more focused on rehabilitation. The Sustainable Practice Lab is an interesting effort aimed at helping incarcerated individuals develop skills that will help them once they leave incarceration. Looking ahead, I am excited to see how we can improve our educational and pre-apprenticeship opportunities; as well as our reentry supports, to break down some of the barriers incarcerated individuals encounter when trying to better their lives.
As interim continues, I look forward to spending time with housing providers, local school officials, unions, and other community stakeholders to learn about their priorities for the 2024 legislative session. It’s a lot of work, but I love this job!
Investing in the 38th LD
Summer is nearly over, but it is a notable time of year because that’s often when we begin to see state funding reach local organizations in our community. Below are some highlighted projects I advocated for that I’d like you to be aware of!
Capital Construction Budget
Washington’s capital budget utilizes $8.9 billion to fund construction projects and infrastructure. It will set records for the largest ever investment in affordable housing in state history, along with major investments in behavioral health, school construction, and more. Notable investments in our community include:
- $1 million for the Tulalip Creek Adult Salmon Collection and Spawning Facility. This hatchery infrastructure improvement project is needed significantly improve adult salmon survival.
- $1 million to construct New Tomorrow’s Hope Child Development Center. This new facility will nearly double the Tomorrow’s Hope program, including childcare slots, behavioral health services, and a unique workforce training program. The facility will create between 136 and 142 new childcare slots, including adding additional ECEAP and Head Start .
- $18.7 million for Compass Health’s Broadway Campus Redevelopment Project. This three-phase project will create a regional center bringing together behavioral healthcare, permanent supportive housing, and primary healthcare services in downtown Everett.
Operating Budget
Washington’s $69.3 billion two-year operating budget leaves $3 billion in total reserves and does not rely on any new general taxes or fees. . Investments reflect the needs we see in our community. People have said they want strong schools, safe communities, affordable housing, climate action, and an innovative economy. Some of the projects that I have advocated for that will improve lives and move our state forward include:
- $2 million in support for the Regional Apprenticeship Pathways (RAP) at the Marysville School District. This program helps students start down the pathway to joining a high paying career in the building trades.
- $500,000 for Help Me Grow to build statewide capacity and community collaboration for resource navigators, resource database maintenance, technical assistance for local communities and grants to communities implementing Help Me Grow at the local level.
- $400,000 for the Dept. of Children, Youth, and Families to deliver childcare marketing and matching services that offer non-standard hours of care for working families.
- $500,000 for WA MESA to facilitate increased attendance and degree completion by students who are underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics degrees.
- $250,000 for the Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP) to conduct studies on the true costs of incarceration, the contracting practices for goods, services, and manufactured products sold by correctional industries to state agencies, and a cost benefit analysis. Also included is a look into the workforce skills and labor ready programs and their impact. The report is due June 30, 2025.
Transportation Budget
Last session, we passed $13.5 billion to fund the state’s transportation needs over the next two years. The budget addresses legislative and gubernatorial priorities, as well as the continuation of projects in previous legislative budgets, notably last year’s Move Ahead Washington package (almost $17 billion) and the 2015 Connecting Washington package ($16 billion investment). Both packages are funded over 16 years. In conjunction, this targeted funding helps Washington build a modern, equitable, and environmentally friendly transportation system. One project I am particularly proud to see funded is the Gove Street Overcrossing project. This $19 million investment will build an overcrossing bridge across the BSNF railways track to improve safety, alleviate congestion, and increase the city’s connectivity between east and west. To see a full list of projects being funded in our district, click here.
Share Your Thoughts with Me
Even though the legislature isn’t currently in session, I would love to hear from you about how we can improve our community. Your feedback helps me plan for the upcoming session, so please consider filling out this survey about your legislative priorities. Please continue to participate in the public process by following my Facebook, checking my website for upcoming events, and sending me an email to share your thoughts anytime with me.
In Service,
State Representative Mary Fosse