Lawmakers reach agreement on capital budget

Published 3:09 pm Tuesday, April 10, 2012

OLYMPIA — With discussions over the operating budget and a handful of other bills ongoing, state lawmakers have reached a deal on the capital budget.

House Capital Budget Committee Chairman Hans Dunshee, D-Snohomish, said Tuesday the agreed-upon $1.1 billion supplemental capital budget includes hundreds of millions of dollars in new spending.

The capital budget, which is for building and construction projects, would not be passed until after the operating budget, however, and no operating budget deal has yet been struck. The current special session ends Tuesday.

Sen. Linda Evans Parlette, R-Wenatchee, said both parties agreed to spend more on projects now, while the economy is struggling and costs are low. She said she expects next year’s capital budget to be more modest.