The Washington state House-proposed supplemental capital budget includes just over a quarter of a million dollars in funding for American Legion Veteran Housing and Resource Center, among other funding.
State representatives from the state's 19th Legislative District, Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen, and Joel McEntire, R-Cathlamet, announced $5.2 million in proposed funding for local projects in their district on Monday after the House released its proposed supplemental capital budget.
The largest funding sums, such as $3 million for Lower Columbia College David Story Field improvement, will go to projects outside Lewis County, but others will go to programs that benefit the whole of Southwest Washington.
“We secured funding for improvements at Lower Columbia College, upgrades to emergency response systems, affordable housing preservation, veterans housing support, and critical local infrastructure projects across our rural communities,” Walsh said.
Funding also includes $850,000 for Julius A. Wendt Elementary School in Cathlamet and nearly a half million for radio system upgrades to help emergency responders in the area, among other smaller funding totals.
“This plan makes thoughtful, long-term investments in schools, housing, water systems, and public facilities while respecting the responsibility we have to the taxpayers,” McEntire said.
Here’s the full list of projects included in the House supplemental budget proposal.
• $3 million for Lower Columbia College David Story Field improvements
• $850,000 for Julius A. Wendt Elementary School
• $410,000 for a PACCOM radio simulcast system upgrade
• $286,000 for American Legion Veteran Housing and Resource Center
• $258,000 for Wahkiakum PUD Puget Sound Island water source site construction
• $155,000 for City of Longview Fire Department response efficiency project
• $144,000 for Cathlamet Eagle Point roof replacement
• $134,000 for the Eagles Apartments roof
The funding and much more are all included in the proposed supplemental capital budget within House Bill 2295. The bill received its first public hearing in the House Capital Budget Committee Tuesday morning and at the time was scheduled for vote in committee executive session sometime Thursday.
The funding is not yet certain and may change as House Capital Budget Committee members negotiate changes with their counterparts in the Washington state Senate.
