House Republicans Propose $1.86 Billion Construction Budget

House Republicans on Wednesday proposed a $1.86 billion state construction budget for the next two fiscal years, focusing on college and school projects.

The plan closely parallels a proposal approved by the GOP-controlled state Senate last Friday, but lags $82 million below the level sought by Democratic Gov. Gary Locke.

The House version is just $9 million below the Senate level, and budget leaders in both houses predicted a fairly easy job resolving differences.

The House Capital Budget Committee is expected to approve the latest draft on Thursday, with a full House vote tentatively set for Friday.

Negotiators then will be appointed to iron out the differences. Locke has raised no major objections to the lower budget level, which is based primarily upon Republicans’ use of a lower spending cap than the governor calculated.

The largest reductions from the Locke budget are money for a new law school building and renovation of the main campus library at the University of Washington, $15 million for watershed grants, $13 million for juvenile rehabilitation facilities, $5 million for the housing trust fund and $5 million for the fund to buy wildlife habitat and recreation lands.