WA lawmakers OK supplemental capital budget. Here are the Thurston projects getting funds
Washington state lawmakers passed a $1.3 billion supplemental capital budget Wednesday, providing funding for some new projects and renovations in and around Thurston County.
The budget includes funding for several big ticket items in the Olympia area, including:
$12 million for the Nisqually Tribe Healing Village;
$3.35 million for renovations at the Nisqually Tribe’s Kalama Creek Hatchery;
$2.2 million for Port of Olympia remediation;
$1 million for a proposed Young Child & Family Center;
$700,000 for renovations at the State Theater owned by Harlequin Productions;
$600,000 for the Camp Thunderbird Wastewater Treatment Facility;
$200,000 for Community Youth Services;
$148,000 for Tugboat Parthia pavilion construction;
$103,000 for a Regional Athletic Complex transformer upgrade.
$250,000 for the Medical Equipment Bank
$2 million for the Tumwater pocket gopher habitat acquisition and restoration
$50,000 City of Lacey Public Safety Training Center
$250,000 for the Puget Sound Estuarium
The state’s capital budget pays for construction, maintenance and acquisition of buildings, schools, parks and other assets. The $1.3 billion approved this week is added to the nearly $9 billion capital budget the legislature approved last year.
The supplemental capital budget passed to finish out the 2023-25 biennium also invests in statewide K-12 school construction, behavioral health facilities, housing and natural resources.
Some of those big investments include:
$127.5 million for the Housing Trust Fund;
$115 million for the Small District and Tribal Compact Schools Modernization program;
$82.7 million in grants for community behavioral health projects throughout Washington.
$68.2 million for career and technical education projects at skills centers and technical schools, which include the Tri-Tech Skills Center in Kennewick.
$45 million on improvements to indoor air quality and energy efficiency, with most of the funding for school districts with less than 3,000 students.
$26.6 million to expand affordable childcare access through the Early Learning Facilities grant program.
$22.2 million to the Brian Abbott Fish Barrier Removal Board;
$11.1 million to the Estuary and Salmon Restoration Program.
Approximately $130.5 million of this year’s supplemental capital budget is funded with general obligation bonds.
The budget, in the form of Senate Bill 5949, will now head for Gov. Jay Inslee’s desk to be signed.
The state legislative session was scheduled to adjourn Thursday night.
