This week Washington’s legislature avoided any government shutdown by passing a state operating budget. They have also approved a transportation revenue package and emergency drought relief funding, among other things. There is still more work to do, but one local lawmaker already says the Spokane area will benefit greatly from the budgeting.
Representative Marcus Riccelli says the transportation revenue package alone has over a billion dollars for Spokane County. It funds the North Spokane Corridor to completion, the U-District pedestrian bridge, Medical Lake interchange, and starts the Central City Line. Riccelli calls it fantastic.
Riccelli: “Make sure that our farmers can get their goods to port, makes sure that commerce is moving, it will reduce pollution, and will get the North Spokane Corridor finally to I-90.”
Criticism of the package is on the fact that it hinges on a gas tax increase that will start to go up in August.
In the $38-billion state operating budget, lawmakers put significant money towards K-12 education, mental health programs, and exciting to Riccelli, the WSU medical school proposal and UW 'WWAMI' program in Spokane.
Riccelli: “A regional group of stakeholders made sure that it was important to have medical education funded for both institutions. And that’s what happens when people work together.”
He worked closely with Senators Michael Baumgartner, a republican, and Andy Billig, a Democrat, on med school funding.
The legislature is still in session. The operating budget hinges on passage of another bill that would halt the voter approved class size reductions. Democrats in the senate opposed that suspension this week, but both parties in the house voted to pass it. Riccelli says he does support smaller class sizes, but in his opinion they didn’t have the revenue to fund the voter initiative.
Riccelli: “We need to make sure they understand the full cost associated, so I’m a supporter of saying how much this will likely cost, and having that show up on the ballot, and also what is your funding source preferred.”
Lawmakers are taking a break for the holiday weekend and could get back to work next week or later.
[As of 7/3/15 We are waiting to hear back from Republican Senator Michael Baumgartner to get his input on the funding measures.]
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