Capital budget writers in the state House of Representatives on Monday released their proposal, the third and final such plan needed to negotiate the state’s construction spending plan for the next two years. This paves the way for final-round talks between the House, Senate, and Governor’s office. Here are the highlights for WSU.
- The House plan provides $46.5 million for minor works preservation projects to address deferred maintenance needs across the WSU system. The governor provided $50 million and the Senate $40 million.
- The House and governor provide $6.5 million of WSU’s $13 million request for minor works program projects across the WSU system — essentially small-scale renovations and equipment purchases. The Senate fully funded the request.
- All three budgets fully fund WSU’s $40 million request to match philanthropic funds to build a new student services building for the Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture in Pullman.
- All three budgets provide $22 million to renovate parts of Eastlick, Abelson and Bustad halls on the Pullman campus in anticipation of the future replacement of Heald Hall.
- All three budgets fund WSU’s $5 million request to support efforts to meet the state’s new clean building standards.
- Only the Senate funds the $7 million request to design a new Team Health Education Building at WSU Spokane to provide simulation training space for health sciences students.
- Only the Senate funds the $10 million request to begin a renovation of the Knott Dairy Center in Pullman.
- Both the governor and Senate fund the $8 million request to renovate two floors of Bustad Hall in Pullman to support the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Simulation-Based Education program. The House plan does not.
- None of the proposals fund WSU’s request for remote storage of library collections on the Pullman campus.
The House capital budget will be heard in the Capital Budget Committee tomorrow afternoon and is on the Thursday agenda for executive session. It then needs to be voted off the floor of the House before endgame negotiations can begin.