A few news and notes to get your week started.
- Gov. Jay Inslee visited Everett Community College Thursday afternoon for a briefing on WSU’s plans to expand academic offerings at the University Center of North Puget Sound. He also was briefed on plans for a new teaching and classroom building at the center. $10 million in design funds was provided in the 2013-15 capital budget to get the 95,000 square foot project off the ground and ready for construction funding later.
- State tax collections for the Aug. 11 through Sept. 10 time frame exceeded expectations by a healthy $65 million, according to a new report issued last week. Total collections since the last quarterly revenue forecast are now $116 million, or 3.3 percent, above expectations after you discount for a series of large tax refunds that are expected. The next revenue forecast will be released Wednesday and will serve to update the state as to where things stand. But it’s the one that is released Nov. 20 that really counts. That forecast will be used to build the governor’s supplemental budget proposal.
- The House Higher Education Committee takes to the road this week and will be stopping in the Tri-Cities for a work session that, in part, will look at the higher education needs of the health care industry. John Roll, Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Research at WSU Spokane, will be presenting on WSU’s work in the health sciences to produce more nurses, pharmacists and primary care physicians.