Dear Friends and Neighbors,
During this year’s session, the Legislature crafted “supplemental” budgets, which make adjustments to the comprehensive biennial budgets that we passed last year. The final proposals are strong and sustainable budgets that fund our key priorities.
Transportation Budget
The 2024 Supplemental Transportation Budget puts an additional $100 million into the preservation of roads, bridges, pedestrian, bicycle paths, and more throughout our state. It also invests $30.8 million in traffic safety measures, including $7.2 million for the Washington State Patrol (WSP), $2.5 million to combat impaired driving, and $9.8 million to help curtail speeding. An additional $150 million is included toward fish barrier removal to help expand the salmon population and restore river ecosystems.
This budget also contends with a $52 million cost increase on the SR 520 Seattle Corridor Improvements West End project. The total increase including in future years is $770 million. To address this, a $140 million sales tax deferral along with additional funds from future tolling of a stretch of SR 520 will help cover the cost increase.
The budget also maintains the state’s commitment to the I-5 Columbia River Bridge project, investing $875 million, including a new $600 million federal grant.
Capital Budget
Through the Supplemental Capital Budget, we are making significant investments in affordable and stable housing, responding to the fentanyl and opioid crisis, and expanding school construction. These investments include:
- $127.5 million for the Housing Trust Fund, building upon the record-breaking investments in affordable housing made in 2023.
- $7.4 million for Plymouth Housing in the city of Redmond, an important project providing housing and services that was previously canceled by the city of Kenmore.
- $82.7 million toward mental and behavioral health facilities to help with the fentanyl and opioid crisis.
- $79 million in support for school construction.
- $68 million for skills centers and other career and technical education facilities.
- $114 million for the Small District & Tribal Compact School Modernization program, which helps those school districts that have been unable to pass their own school bonds for construction.
Operating Budget
The Supplemental Operating Budget also prioritizes key investments in poverty reduction, affordable and stable housing, homelessness response, behavioral health, responding to the opioid and fentanyl crisis, public health, childcare and early learning, and addressing climate change and climate justice. These investments include:
- $64 million for food assistance for seniors, summer EBT for kids, and food banks.
- $230 million in investments to support local homelessness services, tenants’ rights and homeownership programs, and a new low- and moderate-income clean energy assistance program that will provide a credit to qualifying utility customers in September.
- $215 million to increase access to opioid use disorder treatment, education, outreach and prevention.
- $245 million in behavioral health capacity, rate increases, and outpatient and personal care programs.
- 5% rate increase for assisted-living and supported-living providers and new beds for youth with complex developmental disabilities and behavioral health needs.
- $335 million in climate, clean energy, and natural resource funding – with a large portion of funding coming from the Climate Commitment Act. This includes payments to agricultural fuel users exempt from the CCA and existing clean energy and climate programs to help communities prepare for droughts, flooding, and other potential risks stemming from the climate crisis.
All of these budgets have received final approval and the 2024 legislative session has now concluded for the year. I’m very encouraged that we were able to promote and fund our priorities and values in this year’s budgets, giving our communities the resources they need to address the challenges they face.
Thanks for your attention to these issues and for your interest in public policy. Please don’t hesitate to contact me with questions and comments.
All best wishes,
Rep. Roger Goodman