House Fills Most Of Spokane Wish List Lawmakers Expected To Pass $1.8 Billion Capital Spending Plan

Spokane got most of what it asked for when lawmakers released the House capital budget Wednesday.

The $1.8 billion budget, which provides the same money for Spokane’s top projects as the Senate spending plan, is expected to be passed by the House on Friday.

While construction dollars are scarce, the budget gives the Spokane projects enough money to get off the ground.

“What we’ve done is establish validity of the projects over here,” said Dan Kirschner, public affairs director for the Spokane Area Chamber of Commerce. “We got acknowledgment that these are good, solid projects.”

The House budget supports these local projects:

Eastern State Hospital’s Legal Offender Unit; more than $17.5 million in construction money. The facility houses mentally ill patients who have committed a crime and have been found not guilty by reason of insanity.

Democratic Gov. Gary Locke’s budget proposes similar funding.

The Joint Center for Higher Education’s Health Sciences Building; nearly $1.4 million for design and site preparation. Locke set aside $375,375 in design money.

Cheney Cowles Museum’s $15 million expansion; more than $1 million for planning and design. Locke proposed similar funding.

The $4.7 million Eastern Washington Archives Building; more than $500,000 for planning and design, the same as Locke’s budget.

The $10 million Health Sciences Building at Spokane Community College; about $700,000 for planning and design. Locke proposed similar funding.

The only major local project not to receive House funding is Mirabeau Point, a proposed $24 million community center complex in the Valley. The Senate provided $1.5 million for planning and design in its supplemental budget, which barely keeps it alive. Legislative leaders will have to meet to iron out their differences.

“It really comes down to how strongly the Senate feels about it,” said Rep. Larry Crouse, a Spokane Valley Republican.

Kirschner voiced concern that the projects received planning money might have to be put on hold until construction dollars are available. In 1999, Spokane-area projects will be ready for about $65 million in construction money, he said.

Rep. Duane Sommers, a Spokane Republican who serves on the House Capital Budget Committee, said the city fared well because the projects need planning money.

“This budget has a lot of work for architects,” he said.

Officials also wanted to draw lawmakers’ attention to plans for future expansion of the Spokane Convention Center. No money was requested this year because a study to determine the need, cost and location of the addition hasn’t been completed.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Graphic: Differing views on the budget