State construction budgets announced

OLYMPIA - The state capital and transportation budgets for the 2011-13 biennium were recently announced.

The 13th District, which includes Grant County, benefit from several projects over the upcoming budget cycle.

Rep. Judy Warnick, R-Moses Lake, helped to craft the construction budget that focuses on school improvements and job creation with her Democrat counterpart, Rep. Hans Dunshee, D-Snohomish.

"I'm happy we could come together to craft a responsible budget that aims to put people back to work in our state," Warnick stated. "I'm also pleased we were able to preserve most of the funding for the Public Works Assistance Account program. This is an important component for our local governments to provide much-needed infrastructure for communities across the state."

The construction budget totals $3.1 billion and funds the $390 million in statewide school construction needs.

"The construction budget gives us the opportunity to maintain our existing brick and mortar investments, while minimizing non-essential programs, to reflect this struggle economy and operating budget shortfall," Warnick stated. "We prioritized according to the greatest needs, and on what we had to work with."

Grant County capital projects receiving funding:

* Boys & Girls Clubs of the Columbia Basin, $1,277,000

* Storage Buildings in Ephrata, $689,000

* Ephrata FMS building canopy, $200,000

* Grant County Branch Campus of Wenatchee Valley Skills Center, $18,843,000

* Ephrata Landfill Remediation and Monitoring, $2,812,000

* Big Bend Community College roof repairs, preservation, facility repairs and minor works program, $1,566,000

Department of Transportation funding:

* State Route 243, south of Mattawa, lighting installation, $7,000

* State Route 171, Moses Lake, paving, $229,000