Rep. Hope to lobby for senior center

It appears Mill Creek-area seniors have an ally in State Rep. Mike Hope.

The Snohomish Republican says among his many priorities in the 2009 Legislative session is finding money in the Capital Budget to help fund construction of a new Mill Creek senior center. However, an exact figure has not been identified or even requested by city leaders in charge of steering the local effort to build a facility for senior recreation programs.

“We’ll be approaching the City Council about that shortly,” Hope said. “We’ve got to be able to come up with something. I’ll be on the House Capital Budget Committee and the chairman (Rep. Hans Dunshee, D-Snohomish) also is from the 44th District.”

Hope pointed to another local ally on the Senate Ways and Means Committee: Lake Stevens Democrat Sen. Steve Hobbs, who also hails from the 44th.

Hope helped with fundraising efforts to build a senior center in Snohomish, and says from that experience he’s learned a thing or two about moving such projects from concept to reality.

Lawmakers already have appropriated money to help with construction of a senior center in Mill Creek.

Former Rep. John Lovick secured a $150,000 earmark for the Mill Creek Senior Center Foundation two years ago through the State’s Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development (CTED). Those funds are set expire in June. CTED will recommend that lawmakers reappropriate the money this session and extend the deadline out two years. The lion’s share of the CTED earmark – 98 percent – is restricted for reimbursement of construction costs. The remaining 2 percent may be used to reimburse the foundations for costs associated with design of a senior center facility.

“I know this senior center issue is very important to the people in Mill Creek, and I think we can get them some assistance to make it happen,” Hope said.

However the freshman lawmaker’s No. 1 priority is protecting public education from massive cuts laid out in Gov. Christine Gregoire’s proposed 2009-2011 biennial budget.

He proposes that lawmakers vote on the education budget before anything else and make the necessary cuts to fill the state’s near $6 billion deficit second.

“I say we look at the Legislature’s spending spree since 2004 and make cuts to those programs that are not working and are not necessary,” said Hope, who will also serve on the House Education Committee. “These cuts that have been proposed to education come from money schools use for curriculum development, keeping class sizes low and providing training for teachers … We really need to protect our schools and our students in this budget process.”