Governor Bob Ferguson’s first proposed capital budget was heard this week before respective legislative committees in the House and Senate, with WSU testifying with mixed opinion on the budget that would provide $8 million for deferred maintenance projects but leaves other institutional priorities unfunded.
The budget, released late last month, provides WSU with $8 million of the university’s requested $23 million to fund minor works projects across the WSU system. Funds would be used to address deferred maintenance as the university looks to maintain its existing infrastructure.
A renovation on the WSU Spokane campus to accommodate for the university’s Team Health Education simulation space went unfunded, “This project has been dramatically re-scaled for a supplemental budget and has meaningful implications for health sciences education at a time when clinical rotations are severely constrained,” said WSU during testimony before the House Capital Budget committee. You can watch that testimony below.
Also without funding was the university’s request to begin decarbonization efforts related to the state’s recently enacted clean energy compliance laws.
Lawmakers will put forward their own proposals before reaching a final agreement later this session, ahead of adjourning March 12th.
[ WSU testimony begins at: 01:10:41 ]