Budgets great for Kent and Des Moines, Keiser says

OLYMPIA – The construction and operating budgets that cleared the Senate today make extensive investments in the area, said Sen. Karen Keiser, D- Kent. The capital budget was unanimously passed; the operating budget passed 30-17. Both budgets are expected to move to a conference committee to iron out differences between the Senate and House of Representatives versions.

“Two years ago, Democrats charted a course to progress and prosperity,” Keiser said. “We made smart decisions about education, health care and a reserve. Thanks to those actions, the state is enjoying unprecedented security. The budgets we passed today build on that security for our families and our futures.”

Thanks to the strength of the state’s economy, Keiser, who serves as chair of the Senate Health & Long-Term Health Committee, said key health care investments in the operating budget include:

• Covering 39,000 more kids with health care ($33.1 million);
• Giving boarding home and adult family home vendor rate increases to help our seniors ($21 million);
• Improving community and family services for the developmentally disabled ($42 million);
• Allowing a collective bargaining agreement for home-care individual providers;
• Funding for the Blue Ribbon Health Commission’s recommendations to assure greater access to high-quality health care ($12 million);
• Expanding the Basic Health Plan by 3,000 slots, bringing the total number of adults and children covered to 109,500 ($8.2 million);
• Increasing funding for nursing homes for direct care, therapy care and support services ($29 million);
• Expanding dental services, including root canals, for children and adults ($13.8 million);
• Expanding the Vaccines for Children program ($16.6 million);
• Boosting funding for local public health districts ($20 million); and
• Providing funding for family planning clinics ($4 million).

Keiser reports several community programs are also funded in the operating budget, including:

• Pediatric Interim Care Center: $2 million;
• Center for Advanced Manufacturing: $150,000;
• Safe Havens domestic violence visitation facility: $100,000; and
• Basic Law Enforcement Academy: $2 million to add four classes for the next two years.

Highlights of the two-year capital, or construction, budget include funding for these projects and organizations:

• Kent Events Center: $3 million;
• Northwest Harvest food bank: $3 million for a new warehouse in Kent;
• Institute for Community Leadership: $500,000 for a new home for student anti-violence training;
• World War I memorial: $300,000 for a plaza along Des Moines Memorial Drive;
• Des Moines beach flood project: $250,000 at Beach Park;
• Kent Alliance Center: $500,000 for a new home for nine nonprofit social service agencies;
• Parks acquisitions: $900,000;
• Des Moines preservation project: $1 million for Beach Park;
• Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission: $598,000;
• Burien Town Square: $1.6 million to complete the project;
• SeaMar family housing: $800,000;
• Springwood Youth Center: $500,000 for Kent Youth and Families facility; and
• Lucy Lopez Center: $750,000 for a new community center for the Latino community in Kent.

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