1st District lawmakers announce $42 million in construction projects

March 20, 2007

OLYMPIA – The First District would see a lot of new workers in hard hats under a proposed construction budget released by House Democrats on Monday.

“This budget would build a lot of schools and colleges back home,” said Rep. Al O’Brien (D-Mountlake Terrace). “It breaks the records for building new schools and makes the right investments to protect our environment.”

The budget includes more than $32 million for Cascadia Community College additions, part of more than $1 billion statewide for building colleges and universities. The budget also breaks the state record for funding of new schools with $897 million.

“A lot of local people worked hard to get this funding,” said Rep. Mark Ericks (D-Bothell). “I appreciate everybody who wrote letters, sent e-mails or came down to Olympia to make our case. Families in the First District will benefit for years from what we’ll build during this budget.”

Local highlights include:

• $7.5 million for the Bothell Crossroads/State Route 522 realignment
   
• $32.6 million for Cascadia’s Center for Arts, Technology, Communication
   
• $150,000 for UW-Bothell Phase 3
   
• $350,000 for the Northshore Performing Arts Center
   
• $675,000 for the Hidden River Environmental Learning Center at the Brightwater site