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Ninth District legislators
team up on state capital budget
The Legislature completed
work Thursday on a $118 million supplemental construction budget, which
includes funding for projects in Colfax, Ritzville and Pomeroy. Sen.
Mark Schoesler and Rep. Joe Schmick voted for the proposal, which won
final approval in the two chambers as lawmakers closed in on adjournment
of the 60-day session.
The budget provides $1.6 million for repairs to the failing Ritzville
Wastewater Treatment Plant – a funding request sponsored by Rep. Steve
Hailey – and $115,000 for handicap and safety projects at the Colfax
branch of the Whitman County Library, a project that Schmick shepherded
through the budget-drafting process.
As Hailey worked the issues by e-mail and phone from Eastern Washington,
where he is continuing his chemotherapy regimen, Schmick and Schoesler
negotiated with budget writers at the Capitol to ensure the 9th District
projects were included as the final proposal was being crafted.
“It’s a lean budget year, and although ours are modest requests, we
still had to persuasively make the case for these investments in our
district,” said Schmick, R-Colfax.
The library funding will allow installation of a new elevator and other
improvements to ensure the facility is compliant with the federal
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The upgrades are part of a
long-term renovation plan to improve the library’s services, lighting,
ADA-approved accessibility and safety.
“The steep, narrow staircase and lack of an elevator have prevented some
handicapped patrons from using the library’s meeting rooms,” Schmick
explained. “This would help make the library more user-friendly for the
folks who most need an accessible facility.”
The wastewater treatment plant was constructed at a cost of $3.2
million. Four lagoon-cells subsequently malfunctioned, including one
which has been off-line for two years.
The critical nature of the funding request became more apparent after
the state Department of Ecology’s water quality program reevaluated the
condition of the plant and designated it as a hardship for the city of
Ritzville.
“The appropriation of 1.6 million dollars is an important step toward
the projected cost of lagoon rehabilitation and upgrading,” said Hailey
from his home in Mesa. “We’ll be back next year to continue our efforts
for the city, and hopefully get further funding in the 2009 construction
budget.”
“I’m happy for the citizens of Ritzville that there is funding to move
this project along,” added Schoesler, R-Ritzville.
The budget also includes $75,000 for the Garfield County Agricultural
History Museum in Pomeroy.
“Agriculture is not only a key employer in our district, but it has a
long, rich history as well,” said Schoesler, a wheat farmer who serves
as ranking Republican on the Senate Agriculture and Rural Economic
Development Committee. “The agricultural museum in Pomeroy will house
many artifacts highlighting the region’s farming past, and I’m pleased
this budget helps fund it.”
The 9th District lawmakers said one of the biggest disappointments with
the capital budget is its lack of funding for the new veterinary school
building at Washington State University. WSU had requested $7.4 million
for the project. The House version of the budget provided $2 million for
the building, but the Senate version didn’t provide any money for it.
The capital budget passed Thursday by the Legislature also had no
funding for the building.
The supplemental construction budget now goes to the governor for
consideration.
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For more information, contact
Bill Taylor, Information Officer:
(360) 786-7074
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