Washington House Democrats

State lawmakers agree upon final transportation budget

26th district delegation secures many victories in Senate-House compromise

April 20, 2007

OLYMPIA—With just two days left before the scheduled close of the 2007 legislative session, members of the House and Senate reached an agreement on the state’s transportation budget.

Members of the 26th district delegation declared the compromise a victory for peninsula residents.

“Protecting all of the funding for our scheduled projects was a huge victory in and of itself,” said Rep. Patricia Lantz (D-Gig Harbor). “With looming mega projects like the Seattle viaduct out there, we put on a full court press to make sure funding for such projects as the Burly-Olalla interchange stayed put in the budget.”

In coordination with Rep. Lantz and Rep. Larry Seaquist (D-Gig Harbor) in the House, Sen. Derek Kilmer (D-Gig Harbor) led efforts to help future toll-payers.

“This budget allocates $5 million for a Tacoma Narrows Bridge reserve account and secures an additional appropriation of $1.3 million for toll discounts,” Seaquist said “These combined funds are smart planning and should ensure half-off discounts for transponder users during the first year that the new bridge is open.”

Late in the negotiating process, Kilmer was able to include budget language requiring WSDOT to keep bridge-opening costs to a minimum and to seek private contributions and partnerships to offset the costs of the opening.

“The bridge is an engineering marvel, and that’s worth commemorating,” Kilmer said. “But just as I have done since I got to Olympia, I will continue fighting for a fair deal for Narrows Bridge users. And in this instance, that means fighting to keep the costs of the opening down and ensuring bridge users aren’t forced to foot the bill.”

Officials at the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) have budgeted up to $300,000 to cover the cost of security and other expenses related to a bridge-opening ceremony. Some recent proposals have included multiple ribbon cuttings with area officials and groups as well as providing public access to the bridge. Transportation officials say they expect the ceremony to cost closer to $100,000.

“We need to protect toll payers, and that means not spending transportation dollars or toll dollars on opening ceremonies,” Kilmer said. “We need to keep costs down, and we need to find other sources than transportation funds that, if anything, ought to be used to reduce the tolls.”

The $7.5 billion budget funds road construction projects across the state including funding for a new overpass at the Burley Olalla Interchange, for safety improvements along State Route 302 and for design of a new interchange on to the Key Peninsula.

The House and Senate are expected to take action on the measure over the weekend.

– Geoduck compromise reached –

Legislation sponsored by Rep. Lantz to place new regulations on the commercial farming of Geoducks on inter-tidal shorelines reached a final compromise on Friday.

The agreement still commissions the University of Washington, Sea Grant program to study the potential effects of geoduck aquaculture. New compromise language would limit the number of leases the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) can issue to geoduck farmers to the 23 acres currently in process and then a maximum of 15 acres per year until 2014.

The legislation as passed requires DNR to notify abutting landowners when tidelands are leased for cultivation and sets up a Geoduck Aquatic Research Account. It also requires the Department of Fish and Wildlife to establish an electronic database register geoduck aquaculture activities.

“This legislation represents a balanced approach to an issue that has had extremely passionate voices on either side,” Lantz said. “This is a step in the right direction and I’m so glad to see the final compromise in place. The funding we were able to secure in the budget will assure that we reach a solution that works for everyone.”

Lantz’s bill passed both the House and Senate on Friday and now heads to the Governor’s desk.

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For interview:

Sen. Derek Kilmer (360) 786-7650

Rep. Patricia Lantz (360) 786-7964

Rep. Larry Seaquist (360) 786-7802

For more information: Derek Baker, (360) 786-7697 or Rick Manugian (360) 786-5699

Link to Sen. Derek Kilmer’s website:

http://www.sdc.wa.gov/kilmer.htm

Link to Rep. Patricia Lantz’s website:

http://www.housedemocrats.wa.gov/members/lantz/

 Link to Rep. Larry Seaquist’s website:

http://www.housedemocrats.wa.gov/members/seaquist/