Budget Includes Money For Planning, But Building Funds May Take Longer

When it comes to Spokane-area projects, the 1997-99 Senate budget proposal unveiled Monday looks almost identical to Gov. Gary Locke’s spending plan.

As many as five projects may get planning and design money, which has Spokane officials wondering how the Legislature will pay for building them in 1999.

The $1.8 billion Senate capital budget proposal includes:

More than $17.5 million in construction money for improvements to the Legal Offender Unit at Eastern State Hospital. The facility houses mentally ill patients who have committed a crime and have been found not guilty by reason of insanity. The unit also performs mental evaluations. The proposal is also funded in Locke’s budget.

Nearly $1.4 million for a new Health Sciences Building for the Joint Center for Higher Education. Locke provided $375,375 for design money, while the Senate proposal would offer an additional $1 million for site preparation.

More than $1 million to Cheney Cowles Museum for planning and design of a proposed $15 million expansion.

More than $500,000 for planning and design of a proposed $4.7 million Eastern Washington Archives Building.

Almost $700,000 for design of a planned $9.2 million health sciences building at Spokane Community College, just as in Locke’s budget.

Under the Senate’s proposed 1997 supplemental budget, $1.5 million would be provided for the proposed $24 million Mirabeau Point project. Community leaders will be seeking an additional $5 million in construction money once planning and design funds are provided. Locke didn’t provide any funding for the Spokane Valley community center in his budget.

The budget received a hearing on Monday and is expected to be passed by the Senate on Wednesday. After a House capital budget is passed, legislative leaders will meet to iron out the differences before sending a plan to Locke.

House Capital Budget Committee chairman Barry Sehlin, R-Oak Harbor, said his version - similar to the others - will be released early next week.

With all the money proposed for planning and design of Spokane-area projects, local officials are concerned they will have trouble getting construction money later. If such planning and design money is approved, the Spokane area would be looking for more than $65 million in construction money in 1999.

Local officials aren’t so sure the Legislature will want to make such a large commitment at that time.

Senate capital budget architect Gary Stranningan, R-Everett, said the concern is legitimate, but that it was difficult squeezing the Spokane projects in this year at all.

“It’s all about baby steps this year,” he said.

Sehlin said any projects that receive planning and design money will receive construction dollars, but it may take longer for some.

, DataTimes