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Tuesday, March 20, 2007
By KATHIE DURBIN Columbian Staff Writer

OLYMPIA -- Clark County schools, colleges and social service agencies are big winners in the House of Representatives' proposed capital budget released Monday.

So are nature lovers and fans of the Vancouver National Historic Reserve.

The $4.23 billion statewide spending plan includes funding for a Clark College satellite campus, a new classroom building at Washington State University Vancouver, a vocational education center and cafeteria building at the Washington School for the Deaf and a gym at the Washington State School for the Blind.

It also includes money to begin designing an electrical-engineering building and a microfabrication laboratory on the WSU Vancouver campus.

Clark County's semiconductor firms are working with state legislators, the university, Clark College and the Washington Technology Center to create the Washington Center for Semiconductor Research and Innovation, a place where cutting-edge research would attract talented entrepreneurs and produce new products to bolster the state's economy.

The House operating budget, scheduled for release today, is expected to include funding to begin hiring faculty for the new WSU Vancouver electrical-engineering program, a key to realizing that dream.

Bart Phillips, president of the Clark County Economic Development Council, said he has been working with the entire Southwest Washington delegation to get the start-up funding essential to building a world-class semiconductor industry cluster.

Although the Senate won't release its budget for at least another week, Clark County is well-positioned politically to win funding for capital projects in the 2007-09 budget cycle.

Rep. Bill Fromhold, D-Vancouver, chairs the House Budget Committee. Sen. Craig Pridemore, D-Vancouver, is vice chairman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, which writes the Senate budget. Sen. Joe Zarelli, R-Ridgefield, is the ranking Republican on that committee.

"I would describe this capital budget as a home run for Clark County," said Mark Brown, lobbyist for the city of Vancouver.

Highlights include:

$27.2 million for construction of a 69,000-square-foot Clark College satellite campus at Columbia Tech Center, located on Southeast Mill Plain Boulevard near Southeast 192nd Avenue. The three-story building will include classrooms, science and electronics labs and a work force development program. Facilities manager Jim Green said the classroom is expected to serve students by winter 2008 or spring 2009.

$24.35 million for construction of a classroom building at WSU Vancouver to house classes for freshmen and sophomores.

$10.9 million for a new vocational center, cafeteria and maintenance building at the School for the Deaf and an additional $1.33 million for repairs to the campus.

$9 million for a new physical education building at the School for the Blind and an additional $770,000 for maintenance.

$4.77 million in planning money for the WSU Vancouver electrical-engineering facility and fabrication lab.

$1.9 million toward construction of a new home for Innovative Services Northwest, an agency that provides adult day care and services to families, children and the disabled. CEO Bob Gaynor said the state contribution is important because it will help leverage private and, possibly, federal contributions. The $6.7 million building near Vancouver Mall will house all five of the agency's programs. "We're well along in design and hope to break ground in the next quarter," Gaynor said.

$1.12 million for renovation of the Clark County Skills Center, which offers programs to high school students.

$1 million to begin design of Evergreen Public Schools' Health and Bioscience Academy, a stand-alone high school that will enroll 500 students with a focus on health and biotechnology careers. Although the full cost of the project is expected to be about $17 million, Evergreen Superintendent John Deeder said the $1 million in state money is critical because it will pay for laboratories and specialized equipment. "It's very significant; it's great news," Deeder said.

$1 million to Clark College to expand and upgrade facilities for the college's child care program, which also provides training for child care workers.

$500,000 toward a new $4.1 million Vancouver National Historic Reserve visitor center.

$500,000 toward the Confluence Project, a series of art installations along the Columbia River.

$500,000 toward design of the Camas/Washougal Community Recreation Center.

$250,000 in planning funds for a new Clark College health and advanced technology center.

Parks also benefit

In addition, the budget includes full funding of $100 million for the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program, a popular state grant program that helps cities, counties and state agencies purchase land for parks, trails, fish and wildlife habitat and threatened ecosystems. Gov. Chris Gregoire included $70 million for the program in her budget.

Full funding will pay for 10 Clark County land acquisition projects, ranging from pocket parks in the East Image and South Fishers Landing neighborhoods to a $900,000 allocation that will allow the city of Camas to begin development of a regional trail through the 125-acre Washougal River Greenway.

There's also $100,000 in the State Parks and Recreation Commission's budget to develop interpretive sites along the path of the Great Ice Age Floods.

The House transportation budget, also released Monday, allocates $23.7 million over the next two years for preparation of the Columbia River Crossing environmental impact statement. That's in addition to the $22.57 million Washington has previously contributed to planning for a new Interstate 5 crossing of the Columbia River connecting Vancouver and Portland.

Kathie Durbin can be reached in The Columbian's Olympia bureau at kathie.durbin@columbian.com or 360-586-2437.