OLYMPIA…The Senate capital budget released yesterday includes funding for several projects in the 42^nd District.  

Sen. Dale Brandland, R-Bellingham, is the Senate Republican capital budget leader and teamed with capital budget chairwoman Sen. Karen Fraser, D-Olympia, on the new construction-funding proposal. 

“Senator Fraser and I worked together on a budget to find those projects that would be most beneficial to the people of Washington. It was difficult to fit as many in because there is less revenue available, but the projects we included cover all four corners of the state and everything between. They will benefit many individuals and many generations,” Brandland said. 

The two-year capital budget allocates money for construction and repair of public buildings and other long-term investments, such as land acquisitions. The proposed budget for the 2009-11 biennium is based on 29 percent less funding, meaning many worthwhile projects could not remain on the list. 

“It was difficult to decide which projects would be funded. Every project we saw had high merit and hopefully in the future we will have the economic stability to be able to provide funding,” Brandland said. 

The 42^nd District has nine projects on the list. However Brandland cautions against viewing their inclusion as a guarantee. 

“This is just the first proposal in the Senate. There is no way of knowing what will actually be funded when all is said and done and the budget has passed out of both the Senate and the House. Representative (Kelli) Linville and Representative (Doug) Ericksen and I worked to find projects in our district that we felt would be community assets,” Brandland said. 

The projects funded in the 42^nd District are: 

Higher Education:
Western Washington University: Miller Hall Renovation
Bellingham Technical College: Instructional Resource Center 

Local Community Projects:
Pickford Film Center
Whatcom Hospice House 

Building Communities Fund:
Education and Training Center: Mt. Baker Planned Parenthood
Ferndale Boys & Girls Club 

Building for the Arts:
Mt. Baker Theatre Phase II Renovation
Lummi Nation Service Organization:  Gateway Center, Ferndale 

Washington Heritage Project Grant List: 
Whatcom County Historical Society: restore territorial courthouse of 1858 

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