13th District legislators support community infrastructure investments

OLYMPIA — In the final week of the 2024 legislative session, 13th District lawmakers highlighted the passage of the state’s 2024 supplemental capital budget in a Tuesday announcement from the office of Sen. Judy Warnick, R-Moses Lake.

The announcement said the budget makes critical community infrastructure investments around the state, funding things like parks, community centers, libraries and school construction. According to the announcement, Warnick, Rep. Tom Dent, R-Moses Lake, and Rep. Alex Ybarra, R-Quincy, worked to secure over $26 million in this year’s allocation for the district, which covers most of Grant, Lincoln and Kittitas counties.

Major themes from the state’s investment focus on directing resources for school construction, boosting behavioral health facilities and addressing the state’s affordable housing challenges, the announcement stated.

“This year’s proposal, I think, reflects the needs of the people in our district and around the state,” Warnick said. “We know that our school buildings need ever-increasing maintenance, facilities to treat struggling Washingtonians are desperately needed and so are affordable housing options. This budget makes targeted investments with the limited resources we have.”

Warnick advocated for community projects for healthcare facilities in Moses Lake, securing $72,000 for the Community Health Center and $72,000 for the Ellensburg Community Fieldhouse, according to the statement. 

“These district-funded projects highlight our dedication to tackling important community development initiatives and improving infrastructure,” Ybarra wrote inthe announcement. “Working alongside my colleagues to bring real results back to our constituents has truly been an honor.”

The announcement highlighted other noticeable investments, such as $258,000 for the Columbia Basin Rodeo Association bleachers at the Grant County Fairgrounds, $100,000 for the remodeling of Kittitas Valley Healthcare Surgical Services Clinic and $309,000 for upgrades at the Port of Quincy Business and Event Center.

13th District lawmakers also worked to boost the state’s water infrastructure with a $5.5 million investment in Odessa, Washington, the announcement said. 

“This supplemental spending plan balances needs and priorities across Washington state, while investing in projects that benefit the 13th District,” Dent wrote. “It includes infrastructure improvements in many areas, but I am especially pleased about the funding for the Columbia River Water Supply Development Program in Odessa.”

A complete list of 13th District projects can be found at bit.ly/13thDistrictProjects.