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March 11, 2006
WA: Lawmakers set aside millions for prison space
Seattle Times Wednesday, March 8, 2006
By The Associated Press
OLYMPIA ‹ Lawmakers hammered out a $278 million construction budget Tuesday, sending nearly a quarter of that money to prison expansion and criminal enforcement.
To address concerns about capacity for additional prisoners who could be sentenced under tough new sex-offender laws, budget writers designated $50 million in bonds to add about 500 beds to the new state prison near Connell, Franklin County.
The budget also allocates $9 million to expand minimum-security facilities to accommodate drunken-driving suspects charged with a felony under a bill awaiting House approval, and nearly $3 million to complete the Vancouver Crime Lab, which has a backlog of DNA evidence to sort through.
"As long as there are elections, there are going to be politicians tough on crime," said Rep. Hans Dunshee, D-Snohomish, chairman of the House Capital Budget committee. "Whether we're making society safer or not, I don't know, but we're sure throwing a lot of people in jail. We have to fund it." Last year the Legislature financed nearly 1,300 beds at the Connell prison with $179 million in state bonds, a cornerstone of the $3.2 billion budget. Lawmakers are expected to pass the budget today.
Besides prisons, lawmakers took particular interest in education and environmental projects.
For higher education, budget writers set aside $35 million, including $10 million in bonds to begin construction on a Washington State University life-sciences building, expected to cost around $60 million. There is also $4.5 million for a nanotechnology program at the University of Washington and $4 million for expansion of UW Tacoma.
Propelled by an agreement between water users and conservationists, legislators sent $10 million in bonds to the Columbia River development program. There is also $90 million for environmental cleanup, preservation, land acquisition and improvements to state parks.
Copyright © 2006 The Seattle Times Company
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002850996_capitalbud08m.htm
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Posted by lois at March 11, 2006 10:55 AM