36th Legislative District fares well in Senate budgets

OLYMPIA – Saturday the state Senate passed the operating and capital budgets for the next two-year period, starting July 1. The operating budget passed 30 to 17. The capital, or construction, budget passed unanimously. Both were rolled out on March 28 in the Senate Ways & Means Committee and followed budgets passed March 26 by the House of Representatives.

Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, D-Seattle, voted for both, saying they benefited her district as well as the state.

“The budgets represent sound investments in our residents and our economy,” she said. “While promoting our core values in education, health care, public safety and economic development, the operating budget leaves nearly twice as much in reserve as previous budgets have. It’s a budget that moves us forward and protects us for a rainy day.”

The operating budget includes funding for several items Kohl-Welles championed, including:

• Seattle Aquarium: for its scholarship program serving low-income children;
• Pacific Science Center: for the Leadership and Assistance for Science Education Reform (LASER) program, which aims to improve student achievement in science. Kohl-Welles is working to increase the Senate budget to match the higher levels in the House’s and governor’s budgets;
• HistoryLink: for 36th District resident Walt Crowley’s project that chronicles Seattle and Washington state history;
• Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development: to conduct a study of broadband access in the state to eliminate the digital divide;
• Medicaid: for home visits for children with asthma; and
• Washington State Institute for Public Policy: to conduct a study on depression among TANF recipients.

Kohl-Welles also championed funding for several projects in her legislative district funded in the capital budget, including:

• Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle: security improvements;
• Discovery Park at Fort Lawton: land purchase;
• Counterbalance Park: new park;
• Ballard Corners Park: new park;
• McCaw Hall: finish construction;
• Nordic Heritage Museum: design and construction of new facility; and
• Daybreak Star Cultural Center: repairs and maintenance.

The next step for the budgets will be a conference committee, where differences will be ironed out between the House and Senate. The session is scheduled to adjourn April 22.

Return to Sen. Kohl-Welles' home page