Local parks, nonprofits and projects will benefit from $161.1 million from the state’s two-year capital budget, which passed the Legislature Saturday with bipartisan support. Centralia Republican Rep. Peter Abbarno, who helped negotiate the package, called it a “lovefest,” and applauded the work of both parties.
“I’ve complained about the lack of collaboration on legislation in other areas, but not with the capital budget,” Abbarno said in a statement. “... This is a grassroots construction budget, because so many projects are what community members locally have identified as needs and solutions. This budget helps them with that.”
"We know we need housing. And we know many areas want more shelters. This budget addresses those needs. But it also recognizes that we need to begin moving towards home ownership and stability, and infrastructure investments at the local levels to create housing inventory and jobs.”
On Monday, Lewis County Commissioner Gary Stamper also commended the agreement.
“Not everyone’s going to get what they want, but I think we should be very pleased with what the allocations are,” he said. “And we’ll put the money to good use, too.”
Projects for the 20th district, which encompasses most of Lewis County, include the following:
• $400,000 for the Lewis County Courthouse
• $36.9 million for replacement and remodel of buildings and improvements at Green Hill School
• $300,000 for the Lewis County Seniors (Centralia) from the Building Communities Grant Fund
• $21,000 for Reliable Enterprises (Centralia) from the Building Communities Grant Fund
• $2.55 million for a hydrogen fueling station in Chehalis
• $3.55 million for the Lewis County PUD for a substation and transmission facility in Winlock
• $2 million for the Fort Vancouver Regional Library in Woodland
• $14,000 for the Boys and Girls Club of Lewis County (Chehalis) from the Youth Recreational Facilities Grant Program
• $123,000 for the Chehalis-Centralia locomotive repair (Chehalis);
• $515,000 for the Lake Lawrence Fire Station in Yelm
• $129,000 for the Lewis County public safety radio infrastructure in Chehalis
• $824,000 for the Lewis County Youth Services renovation and addition in Chehalis
• $2.25 million for a pedestrian overcrossing replacement in Kalama
• $52,000 for the Seminary Hill Natural and Heritage Trail Project in Centralia
• $1.75 million for the Southwest Washington Grain Project in Chehalis
• $600,000 for the Woodland Scott Hill Park and Sports Complex in Woodland
• $1.529 million to the Centralia School District for the Gemini and LTE
• $8.05 million for the Packwood sewer system
• $1.85 million for the Vader Wastewater Treatment Plant improvements
• $3.4 million for a teacher education and family development center, and other improvements at Centralia College
• $70 million for the Office of Chehalis Basin
• $2 million for cleanup at American Crossarm and Hamilton Labree Road
• $300,000 for a new fish hatchery on the Cowlitz River
• $239,000 for a fish collection facility on the Toutle River
• $150,000 for fish replacement passage and Reese Creek Bridge maintenance
• $200,000 for modernization of schools in Morton, Northport, Pe Ell and Toledo
• $3.6 million for removal of fish barriers on Mason Creek, Ostrander Creek, and Newaukum River
• $1.48 million for restoration of the Washington coastline
• $259,000 for Mayme Shaddock Park in Napavine
• $283,000 for Werden Park in Vader
• $5 million for behavioral health expansion for Columbia Cottage at Maple Lane School, Rochester
• $15.1 million for a state-operated community civil 16-bed capacity behavioral health center
As of Monday afternoon, 19th District lawmakers had not announced projects funded through the capital budget. District 19 covers Southwest Washington, including a portion of Lewis County.
