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Rep. Sherry Appleton, serving the 23rd District Serving Kitsap County, including Bainbridge Island, Silverdale, Poulsbo, Kingston, and parts of Bremerton. |
State Rep. Sherry Appleton wins seat on key House budget committee
Construction-spending panel invests billions in colleges, prisons, public schools, more
Olympia (Jan. 4, 2008) -- Kitsap County State Rep. Sherry Appleton (D-Poulsbo) begins her fourth year in the Legislature this month with a coveted new seat on the House Capital Budget Committee. One of three budget-writing committees in the House, the Capital Budget panel oversees state spending on construction and repair of state office buildings, colleges and universities, prisons and juvenile-rehabilitation facilities, public schools, parks and several other major elements of the state's infrastructure.
Unlike the state's operating and transportation budgets, which often give rise to bitter partisan battles, the Capital Budget is usually met with strong bipartisan approval, because nearly half of it is financed by state-issued bonds, while the balance is drawn from dedicated accounts, trust revenue and federal funding sources.
"The Capital Budget Committee is fortunately able to make badly needed investments that benefit individual communities and the entire state," Appleton noted, "without resorting to tax increases or service cuts to find the money.
"And when I say 'investments,' that's exactly what I mean," she continued. "The 23rd-district delegation [Appleton, Rep. Christine Rolfes and Sen. Phil Rockefeller] secured more than $50 million for local projects in the 2007 budget. According to a study conducted by the University of Washington, that translates very conservatively into better than 1,000 jobs -- good jobs -- here in our region. That's good for the economy, our tax base and the institutions that were improved by those investments, not to mention at least 1,000 families."
Olympic College was the biggest beneficiary of the 2007-09 capital budget, with nearly $40 million in construction, repair and renovation funding.
"We'll write a relatively small supplemental budget this session," she said, "but I'm already looking down the road at the the 2009-11 budget that will take shape next year." Appleton continued that she hopes to help Kitsap County Mental Health's Burwell House, the Poulsbo Marine Science Center, WestSound Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, and Bainbridge Island's Kids Discovery Museum and several County parks and parks.
To make the move to the Capital Budget Committee, Appleton vacated her seat on the House Early Learning and Children's Services Committee. She will continue to serve as vice-chair of the House State Government and Tribal Affairs Committee, and as a member of the House Transportation Committee.
The Legislature opens its 60-day session Monday, January 14, in Olympia.
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Interview contact: Rep. Sherry Appleton, (360) 786-7934
Staff: Dan Frizzell, (360) 78607208