Strong economic investments in 19th District as McEntire works on first capital budget spending plan

Before adjourning the 2021 legislative session, lawmakers unanimously passed a bipartisan $6.3 capital budget plan making significant investments in water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure while continuing to make mental and behavioral health care a priority by increasing capacity at community- and state-run mental health facilities.

Rep. Joel McEntire, R-Cathlamet, serves as assistant ranking Republican on the House Capital Budget Committee, and helped negotiate the capital spending plan, including the more than $168.6 million for the 19th District.  

“I am proud to be part of capital budget leadership team that is responsible for putting together the largest capital budget in state history, at a time when our economic recovery and investing in our communities could not be more critical,” said McEntire. “We were able to address capital budget priorities across the state and fund some much-needed projects in the 19th District such as the American Legion Veterans Housing and Resource Center, funding for the Chehalis Basin Strategy, the Lower Columbia Center for vocational and transitional studies and much more. These are taxpayer dollars coming back to the district to help fund community or local government projects where funding may be difficult to come by.”

Projects funded in the 19h District in the approved capital budget plan include:

  • $2.99 million for the Coastal Community Action Program;
  • $1.6 million for the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation;
  • $2.1 million for the Willapa Center in Raymond (early learning facility and Housing Trust Fund investment);
  • $900,000 public building conversion pilot;
  • $88,000 for American Legion Veterans Housing and Resource Center;
  • $500,000 for Coastal Community Action Program Service Center in Aberdeen;
  • $900,000 for Lake Sacajawea renovation project in Longview;
  • $765,000 for Longview Hospice Care Center Renovation;
  • $309,000 Ocean Beach Medical Group;
  • $634,000 for Ports of Ilwaco/Chinook Nav Infrastructure;
  • $361,000 for South Bend school multi-use field upgrades;
  • $721,000 for Ilwaco's drinking water source protection;
  • $47.7 million for Grays Harbor College student services and instructional building;
  • $3.2 million for Lower Columbia center for vocational and transitional studies;
  • $70 million for the Chehalis Basin strategy;
  • $2 million for the Seaport Landing/former Weyerhaeuser Aberdeen Sawmill;
  • $511,000 for the Forks Creek Hatchery;
  • $15 million for the Naselle Hatchery renovation;
  • $20,000 for the Cathlamet Pioneer Cemetery restoration;
  • $995,000 for the Longview Fire Station purchase;
  • $50,000 for Raymond School District modernization;
  • $496,000 for Boisfort School District modernization;
  • $352,000 for fish barrier removal – Stillwater Creek;
  • $224,000 for fish barrier removal – Delameter Creek;
  • $1.3 million for East Fork Grays Floodplain reconnection;
  • $2 million for West Fork Grays River Conservation Project;
  • $2 million for Grays River Watershed West Fork Conservation Area;
  • $438,000 for Chehalis River Davis Creek Expansion; and
  • $1.16 million for Willapa Hills Trail Pacific County bridges.

With a total spending plan of $6.3 billion, $3.9 billion of which is from the sale of general obligation bonds, the capital budget leaves $82 million in bond capacity for the 2022 supplemental capital budget.

The measure, House Bill 1080, now goes to the governor for his consideration.

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Washington State House Republican Communications
houserepublicans.wa.gov