— from Lisa Byers, Executive Director, OPAL Community Land Trust —
The Washington State legislature adjourned last week without adopting a capital budget. There is no timeline for the legislature to reconvene. That means there may be no capital budget adopted this year.
This is bad news for the Orcas Island community. OPAL Community Land Trust planned to apply for up to $2 million from the Washington State Housing Trust Fund in order to help fund the construction of new affordable rental townhomes on North Beach Road in Eastsound (called April’s Grove). Without a capital budget, there will be no opportunity to apply for funding.
The failure of our legislature to pass a capital budget does real harm to people who need a roof over their heads. Orcas Island needs a capital budget to be passed that includes $106 million in the Housing Trust Fund, with at least $33 million of that amount not earmarked for projects or targeted for specific populations.
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What do our legislators have to say on this issue? Sen. Ranker? Rep. Morris?
Ed — here is what Ranker has said: “It is unconscionable that we would go home without voting on this critical budget. Our job as Senators is to do what is best for our communities and state. It is time for us to come together and govern. I remain fully supportive of the agreed upon, bipartisan capital budget and will work tirelessly to get it passed. It is my hope that Senate Republicans will join us.”
For more: https://sdc.wastateleg.org/ranker/2017/07/20/ranker-unconscionable-that-senate-republicans-blocked-vote-on-capital-budget/
Thanks janet. There is so much going on at all levels of our society, it is hard to keep up. I always hope that our elected representatives communicate with all of their constituents on a regular basis so everyone better knows how they are working on our behalf.
In that regard, it would be helpful if our local representative would speak to current issues within our community, propane tank location being a good example.