Progress for $2 Billion Infrastructure Package

The infrastructure package supported by AGC took significant steps toward passage last week. Three related bills (SHB 2168 SHB 2792 SHB 2793) were passed out of the House Capital Budget Committee on Friday.

(To read a Seattle Times guest opinion piece about the proposal co-authored by AGC President Steve Isenhart click here.)

Overall the projects total about $2 billion with the State’s portion at $1.3 billion leveraging another $788 million from other matches. This level of investment will generate between 20000 and 30000 jobs.

Significant investment categories in the House version include: state government facilities and local government construction assistance $604 million; natural resource projects $301 million; Higher Education $251 million. The proposal includes a net reduction in K-12 investments but only because many local levies failed which lowers the state’s match requirement; one plan includes four new vocational skills centers.

The Senate has yet to release its proposal but likely will do so this week. Indications are that the Senate version will emphasize projects which do more to promote “long-term economic growth” with no clear definition of what that is yet.

Senator Derick Kilmer the Senate’s lead on the subject has indicated that their proposal will be “in the neighborhood” of the House’s but likely it will be smaller.

For more information contact AGC Government Affairs Director Rick Slunaker 360.352.5000.