Transportation

The first week of session consisted of briefings on the Governor’s transportation budget before the House and Senate. Not surprisingly, most of the discussion focused on the $1.6 billion change in capital costs from last session until now. These capital cost increases will need to be addressed over the next several years.

Over the ensuing weeks, members of both committees will continue to be educated on individual project costs as well as options on how to fund them. Of note is that the portion of multimodal funds directed to such programs as Commute Trip Reduction, rural mobility grants, vanpools, passenger rail, etc, has been retained.

To date, only two bills have been scheduled for hearings next week in the two transportation committees. AWC will sign-in in support of one, SB 5085, which provides that transportation accounts receive 100 percent of their share of interest earnings. This will result in a modest revenue increase to the Washington State Department of Transportation, Transportation Improvement Board, and other state transportation agencies.

Local Infrastructure Financing Tool (LIFT) (SB 5115)

Sen. Derek Kilmer (D-Gig Harbor) is the prime sponsor for the Local Infrastructure Financing Tool legislation, SB 5115. This is also Governor request legislation. The original authority was enacted in 2006 and the new bill incorporates many of our proposed changes. Most importantly, the bill:

Increases the competitive portion from $2.5 million to $5.0 million.
Repeals the one per county prohibition on using this authority.
Eliminates an assessed value per square foot requirement.
Provides several technical changes that will make the authority more flexible.

As the bill moves through the Senate, AWC will seek to increase the competitive portion above the $5 million identified in the bill.

Recommending Projects to the Public Works Board (HB 1025/SB 5006),

The House version of this bill will be heard in the Capital Budget Committee on Thursday, January 18 at 8:00 am. The legislation would provide $71 million in loans to 19 projects. Eleven of the projects are for cities and represent approximately $36.6 million of the proposed list.

Capital Projects Advisory Review Board (CPARB)

Due to the snowstorm, the Capital Projects Advisory Review Board (CPARB) meeting was canceled this week and will be rescheduled in two weeks. AWC continues to meet with the various stakeholders to negotiate, point by point, the complex issues surrounding Design-Build and General Contractor-Construction Manager legislation. At this stage, there is no consensus on final legislation.

[ previous article ] [ return to top ] [ next article ]