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McCune works to secure
funding for Pierce County Skills Center
House and Senate supplemental capital budgets vary
on proposed support
State
Rep. Jim McCune is working with fellow state lawmakers in the
House and Senate to ensure funding for a Pierce County Skills Center is
secured in the state’s supplemental capital budget.
“A local Pierce County Skills Center would really help a lot of students
in our communities. And it would be an important investment in our
future,” said McCune, R-Graham. “Now is the time to fully fund
the pre-design and design of the project. If we don’t act in 2008, it
will push the project back another year. Folks have worked hard to lay
the groundwork, and now it’s time for the state to play its role.”
In the House supplemental capital budget that passed Monday, the Pierce
County Skills Center would receive $3,070,000 for pre-design and design.
However, in the Senate version, it would only receive $300,000 – just
for pre-design.
The Office of Superintendent of Public
Instruction (OSPI) requested capital budget appropriations for
several of the state’s skills centers. The skills centers are regional,
cooperative public schools that provide comprehensive, industry-defined,
technical education for high school students who may participate in
Running Start or apprenticeship programs.
Eight Pierce County school districts conducted a study and established
the feasibility for building a skills center. The consortium believes
both the population growth and diverse employment base in Pierce County
will cause greater demand for career and technical education (CTE)
offerings in the county’s high schools. The purpose of the skills center
will be to provide high-skill, high-wage training as part of the
students’ high school experience.
In addition to the Pierce County Skills Center, McCune is hoping
to get two other projects approved in the supplemental capital budget
this year: the Eatonville Community Pool access addition and Pierce
County Orting Valley Farms.
“The Eatonville Community Pool project is very important locally –
especially for seniors,” said McCune. “The new addition would
build a hydro-therapy pool, and I think this would enhance the quality
of life for many seniors.”
The current 2007-09 capital budget includes nearly $7.7 million for ten
projects in the 2nd District.
The capital budget
is one of three primary state budgets that are passed in odd-numbered
years and adjusted in even-numbered years. The capital budget provides
funding for the construction and repair of public buildings and for
other long-term investments, such as land acquisitions and transfers.
The 60-day legislative session is scheduled to end March 13.
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For more information, contact:
John
Handy, Assistant Director: (360) 786-5758
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