HOUSE CAPITAL BUDGET IN AGREEMENT WITH SENATE ON $90 MILLION WORTH OF WSU CONSTRUCTION
House Capital Budget Chairman Barry Sehlin, R-Oak Harbor, released a proposed House capital budget Wednesday that virtually agrees with the spending priorities for Washington State University approved last week by the State Senate. Sehlin's proposal passed out of the House Capital Budget Committee on an 8-3 vote today and will soon receive action before the full House. Sehlin said his capital budget "puts emphasis where it needs to be - on higher education, education in general, and putting people to work..." If the House makes no further changes, it appears that many proposed construction projects for Washington State University will not be in dispute as the two houses work out other differences in the capital budget bill, Substitute Senate Bill 6063.
WSU has expressed support and appreciation for the House construction proposal
to both the Chairman and Rep. Val Ogden, D-Vancouver, the ranking Democratic member of the committee. Ogden praised the Republican chairman for "listening to my concerns" on WSU and many other issues. "Its been a pleasure to work with him, he's always been fair," she said. The committee-approved proposal includes Pullman renovation projects, design funds for two new WSU Vancouver classroom facilities, and design for a new Science Education building for WSU Tri-Cities. Major Pullman projects include:
- $2.6 million for design of a new "Teaching and Learning Center".
- $10.9 million for renovation of Thompson Hall.
- $10.4 million for a renovation and addition to Kimbrough Hall.
- $17 million to renovate Bohler.
- Preliminary design funds for Murrow Hall and Cleveland Hall. Pre-design funds were also included for an Apparel Merchandising, Interior Design and Landscape Architecture Building (AMID.)
The Spokane Joint Center for Higher Education received $1.53 million
including design of a building for at least 240 FTE at the Riverpoint Campus that will serve WSU Spokane students in the health sciences. Original Joint Center plans were to secure $28 million in construction funds for the project but Spokane officials say this appropriation will allow the project to keep moving ahead. Majority members of the committee decided not to consider an amendment by Rep. Duane Sommers, R-Spokane, to accelerate the construction of the building with a $20 million appropriation. The proposed capital budget also authorizes the state Department of General Administration to enter into a contract on behalf of the Joint Center for an $8.5 million purchase and renovation of the "Riverpoint One" building adjacent to the Riverpoint campus. Language was added in committee today that requires the design of the new health sciences building and the proposed Riverpoint office building "must include space for all the academic programs offered by Eastern Washington University and Washington State University that are currently in leased space in Spokane."
There was only $1 million difference between the House and Senate capital budget proposals for WSU.
The difference is that the House provided $1 million toward mitigating the impact of the WSU Vancouver campus expansion and other development on roads in the Salmon Creek area. WSU urges the Senate to support the $1 million appropriation which will help the university conform to local requirements under the state Growth Management Act. Senate Transportation Chairman Gene Prince, R-Thornton, has confirmed that the Senate Transportation budget will also provide $2.5 million for general road improvements in the area. Prince said Sen. Al Bauer, D-Vancouver, was instrumental in securing the funding. The House, Senate and Gov. Locke generally followed WSU's priority list in making their recommendations. Projects that were not funded and will have to wait for consideration by future legislatures include the final renovation phase of Fulmer Hall, a proposed Museum of Art and Fine Arts classrooms on the Pullman campus, a proposed new biotechnology building adjacent to Johnson Hall, and the Center for Agricultural Systems Evaluation (CASE) at WSU Tri-Cities.
SENATE HIGHER EDUCATION COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS CONFIRMATION OF REGENT JOE KING
Former House Speaker Joe King, D-Vancouver, returned to Olympia today for a confirmation hearing before the Senate Higher Education Committee on his appointment by Gov. Gary Locke to a six-year term on the WSU Board of Regents (Gubernatorial Appointment 9169). The Committee immediately voted to recommend his confirmation. Regent Phyllis Campbell was confirmed by the state Senate on a 46-0 vote to a second term on the nine-member Board of Regents. Seattle Businessman Ken Alhadeff's confirmation as a WSU Regent has been recommended by the Senate Higher Education Committee and the Senate Rules Committee will soon determine when the vote on Alhadeff (GA 9130) will come before the full Senate. In addition, WSU may be assigned a tenth regent as the Senate and the House Higher Education Committee has passed legislation (Senate Bill 5517) adding a student to the governing board. The bill is now in the House Rules Committee, awaiting assignment for a vote before the full House.
