Support The Wire

WASHINGTON STATE Wire

Budget

Frockt ‘disappointed’ by Republicans’ refusal to vote for capital budget funding

Aaron Wasser   April 8, 2019  

This press release was provided by Washington Senate Democrats.

OLYMPIA – Senate Republicans on Monday blocked funding for the 2019-21 Capital construction budget by voting against SHB 1101, which had received unanimous, bipartisan support in the House on Wednesday.

The bill failed because a 60 percent supermajority is required to approve a bond bill.

The move is reminiscent of the 2017 Legislative session, when then-majority Senate Republicans blocked funding for the 2017-19 Capital Budget. Senate Republicans ultimately failed to pass the budget at all that session, which marked the first time in recent history the Legislature failed to pass a construction budget.

“I am extremely disappointed,” said Sen. David Frockt, the Senate’s chief capital budget writer. “This is a good budget for every part of the state. These projects were negotiated in good faith in a bipartisan fashion. There is no good reason to withhold votes for the bond bill today.”

The capital budget invests in infrastructure projects throughout Washington. Below is a list of just a few of those projects and policy areas funded in the budget:

  • $1 billion for school construction statewide
  • $200 million for behavioral health projects statewide
  • $5.5 million: Housing in Airway Heights near Spokane
  • $3 million: Veterans housing in Yakima
  • $2 million: Sewer project in Wenatchee
  • $2 million: Business park in Ridgefield
  • $2 million: Food bank in Moses Lake

For a complete list of projects, please click here.

Your support matters.

Public service journalism is important today as ever. If you get something from our coverage, please consider making a donation to support our work. Thanks for reading our stuff.