$1.5 billion budgeted to build schools
Published 9:00 pm Tuesday, April 5, 2005
OLYMPIA – House Demo-crats set out Tuesday to make a historic investment in public school construction, proposing to spend $1.5 billion on building new campuses and modernizing old ones for students from kindergarten to college.
The money is half of the $3 billion construction plan released Tuesday by Rep. Hans Dunshee, D-Snohomish, who is chairman of the House of Representatives Capital Committee.
| Dozens of local projects would receive funding under the construction budget proposed by the House of Representatives.
A partial list includes: * $25 million for classrooms, a visual and performing arts center and an undergraduate education center at Everett Community College. * $19.6 million for an instructional lab building and renovations to Brier Hall at Edmonds Community College. * $11.8 million for off-ramp to UW’s Bothell-Cascadia Community College south campus. * $2.95 million for Emerson Elementary School and Eisenhower Middle School in Everett. * $914,000 for a new high school in Snohomish School District. * $575,000 for Explorer Middle School in Mukilteo. * $3 million for Snohomish Riverfront redevelopment project. * $3.8 million for a dining hall, restrooms and related facilities at Cama Beach. * $1.1 million for additional auto and recreational vehicle parking at Deception Pass State Park. * $1 million for Edmonds Center for the Arts. * $215,000 for Everett Symphony. * $200,000 for Mukilteo Family YMCA skate park. * $200,000 for South Whidbey Commons. * $120,000 for Granite Falls Boys &Girls Club. * $100,000 for Monroe Teen Center. * $50,000 for Granite Falls museum expansion. |
“This will be the most money in K-12 construction in state history,” Dunshee declared at a news conference attended by students, teachers, parents and Democratic and Republican lawmakers.
He includes $613 million for elementary and secondary schools and $917.5 million for two-year community colleges and four-year universities. The amounts are more than in proposals from the Senate and Gov. Christine Gregoire.
Also, the House plan aims to steer more money to school districts that renovate existing buildings. Today the state provides an 80 percent match to what districts pay; the plan calls for increasing that to 100 percent.
“We’re trying to become realistic about the actual costs” of providing students a place to learn, said Rep. Fred Jarrett, R-Mercer Island and the ranking Republican on the committee.
Snohomish School District Superintendent Bill Mester expressed his appreciation Tuesday.
Voters in his district have approved a $160 million bond for projects and this proposal sends the message that the state will “keep its commitment” to students. It includes $914,000 in the next year toward a new high school.
Also recommended for funds the next year are Explorer Middle School in Mukilteo, Emerson Elementary School and Eisenhower Middle School in Everett and Granite Falls High School.
For higher education, Dunshee included money for a performing arts center at Everett Community College, an instructional lab at Edmonds Community College and a much-needed offramp from Highway 522 to the University of Washington’s Bothell-Cascadia Community College campus.
Another big ticket item is a new state prison. Dunshee’s proposal calls for a new $244 million, 2,000-bed prison at Coyote Ridge in Connell. Gregoire seeks a $267 million facility.
Jarrett and Dunshee said there is disagreement between Democrats and Republicans on choosing a building and operating the prison. It’s a point for negotiations on a final construction budget that will be sent to Gregoire by the end of the session April 24.
The House plan also allocates $100 million for housing assistance for low-income people, $295 million for programs that improve the quality and quantity of water for drinking, storm water and water conservation and $8.2 million for projects aimed at reducing the drought’s effects on irrigators, cities and fish.
Reporter Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623 or jcornfield@heraldnet.com.
