Rep. Leonard Christian helps secure projects for 4th District in final 2024 supplemental capital budget

March 06, 2024

The Legislature today unanimously approved a final 2024 supplemental capital budget.

Rep. Leonard Christian, a member of the House Capital Budget Committee, highlighted projects for the 4th Legislative District, including:

  • $4.7 million for the Kaiser Aluminum boiler replacement;
  • $2 million for the Seven Nations Healing Lodge youth expansion to help improve behavioral healthcare;
  • $1 million for Broadway Senior Housing, a 60-unit affordable senior housing complex;
  • $975,000 for Spokane County Gray and Oregon Road forest fire recovery;
  • $300,000 to design and implement accessibility for Scale House Market and Kitchen, including ADA parking accommodations and exterior lighting;
  • $258,000 for a playground at Intersection Preschool and Daycare;
  • $150,000 for the Spokane Valley Cross Country Course; and
  • $32,000 for the W. Valley Centennial Middle School field, fences and dugout.

“As a member of the House Capital Budget Committee, I am proud of the investments we were able to secure for the 4th District,” said Christian, R-Spokane Valley. “This bipartisan budget will help bring jobs to our region, boost the local economy, and build critical infrastructure.”  

The $1.33 billion spending plan invests heavily in K-12 school construction, mental health facilities, housing, and early learning facilities.

Statewide highlights from Senate Bill 5949 include:

  • K-12 school construction
    • $ 115 million for the Small District and Tribal Compact Schools Modernization program, which provides planning and construction grants for school districts with fewer than 1,000 students and that have significant building deficiencies.
    • $79.2 million to increase the construction cost allocation from $271.61 per square foot to $375.00 per square foot in FY 2025.
      • This is used to determine the maximum cost per square foot of construction that the state will recognize in the School Construction Assistance Program.
    • $45 million to improve school districts’ indoor air quality and energy efficiency, with much of the grant funds going to school districts with 3,000 enrollments or fewer.
    • $68.2 million for Career and Technical Education projects at Skills Centers and Technical Schools, including Tri-Tech Skills Center and Wenatchee Valley Technical Skills Center.
    • $1 million for the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to develop a proposal to modify and improve the School Construction Assistance Program with input from the legislature, governor, and other K-12 stakeholders. The proposal must consider variation in district sizes and financial capacity, in addition to other factors.
  • Behavioral health treatment
    • $82.7 million for grants to community behavioral health projects across the state.
    • $16.2 million to purchase and renovate the former Daybreak Youth Services building, for Madrona Recovery to operate a behavioral health and substance abuse treatment facility for youth.
    • $5 million for the design of 20 new beds for youth housing at the Child Study and Treatment Center in Lakewood.
  • Housing
    • $127.5 million for the Housing Trust Fund, including:
      • $20 million for homeownership opportunities;
      • $19 million for housing for those with developmental disabilities; and
      • $15 million for the acquisition and preservation of mobile homes.
    • $55 million for multifamily building efficiency grants.
  • Department of Commerce Community Grant Programs
    • $26.6 million for the Early Learning Facilities grant program to expand access to affordable childcare.
    • $72.5 million for local and community projects statewide.
  • Natural Resources
    • $22.2 million to the Brian Abbott Fish Barrier Removal Board to continue assisting local governments in removing fish barriers and restoring fish passage.
    • $11.1 million to the Estuary and Salmon Restoration Program for the restoration of shorelines and nearshore habitat critical to salmon.
    • $10 million for wildfire reforestation grants, furthering carbon sequestration by helping public and private forests regrow lost trees due to wildfire.
    • $7.9 million for the Washington Coastal Restoration and Resiliency Initiative program, restoring shorelines and habitat on the coast.

About 10% ($130.5 million) of this supplemental budget is funded with general obligation bonds. Article VIII, Section I of the Washington State Constitution requires a three-fifths vote to contract debt, which was authorized during the 2023 session.

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