As we await budget news from Olympia, it was great to see the Everett Herald make a final pitch for WWRP funding in the final capital construction budget.
Excerpt:
While lawmakers decide what will and won’t make the cut, we’ll take a last-minute opportunity to lobby again for two programs: funding for the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program and Floodplains by Design.
The WWRP uses state grant funding to leverage financial matches from local government and groups for parks and public lands projects. This year’s proposal identified $130 million worth of projects across the state, including projects in Bothell, Meadowdale, Lynnwood and Edmonds. The governor’s budget suggested funding of $115 million, while the House proposed $80 million and the Senate $90 million.
While the House proposal represents a marked increase over past budgets that allocated less — $55 million in 2015, $65 million in 2013 and $42 million in 2011 — the Senate recommendation will provide funding for more projects and ensure that local funding for those projects doesn’t sit idle.
Read the full editorial.