Ranker: Senate Capital Budget Invests Historic Amount in Education, Community Programs

— from Dave Pringle, Senate Democratic Communications —

The Washington State Senate convenes for floor debate, March 23, 2017.

Sen. Kevin Ranker, D-Orcas Island, released this statement following the passage of the Senate capital budget today:

“Today the Senate passed a bipartisan capital budget that invests an historic amount in improving our schools for the 1.1 million schoolchildren in Washington. With nearly $1.1 billion invested in the K-12 system to build new schools and new classrooms around the state, we have made a major investment in our children’s future.

“Additionally, critical community and recreation programs in North Puget Sound were funded, including the science building and labs at Western Washington University, the new Skagit Valley Family YMCA, the Lopez Island Pool, Moran Summit Learning Center and several other wildlife and recreation areas around the islands and coastlines of North Puget Sound.

“However, the Senate capital budget missed an opportunity to create the Harriet Spanel Forest in what is now known as Blanchard Mountain. This $7.7 million investment would finish the project to permanently protect an incredible outdoor recreation area as an economic driver for Skagit and Whatcom Counties and purchase better forestland to fund our children’s schools.

“The capital budget does include other important investments in the environment — $60 million for stormwater improvements, $30 million for the Clean Energy Fund, and $80 million for the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program around the state.

“I am pleased to work across the aisle with my Republican colleagues to protect the environment, fund school construction and important infrastructure and facilities for people in our communities. I will fight for funding Blanchard Mountain for the communities in Skagit and Whatcom that have worked hard to see this fully funded before we leave Olympia.”