The passage of the Connecting Washington transportation package in 2015 came with additional funding for several programs and agencies that are important to cities including the Transportation Improvement Board, the Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board, and the Bicycle and Pedestrian grant program through WSDOT. The package, which was passed with bipartisan support after extensive negotiations, includes a 16-year spending plan. Unfortunately the actual language in the bills did not “codify” funding for these important programs leaving them subject to appropriations from the Legislature in their biennial transportation budgets.
HB 2896 and SB 6530 seek to remedy this situation. Why is it important to codify the revenues for these programs?
- It would confirm the 2015 legislative commitment to these program that was hashed out in the negotiations.
- Funding certainty allows transportation agencies, cities, counties, ports, and transit districts to program projects.
- More certainty is helpful for leveraging other sources of funds.
- New revenue sources and programs historically get codified.
AWC supports these bills. SB 6530 is currently scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Transportation Committee at 3:30 pm on Monday, January 29. At this time HB 2896 has not yet been scheduled for a public hearing.