
Impasse Over Water Rights Issue Likely To Sink School Construction Budget
Listen
Washington Governor Jay Inslee says lawmakers have reached an impasse over a contentious water rights issue. That means the state may not have a capital construction budget for the first time in memory.
The capital budget funds school construction and other infrastructure projects. It’s been tied up in an unrelated fight.
A Washington Supreme Court decision limits the drilling of wells on rural property. Senate Republicans have said they won’t vote on the capital budget until theres a fix for rural property owners who want to drill wells.
Those negotiations have now reached an impasse. Right now, it appears the capital budget won’t be approved before lawmakers adjourn their third special session.
The 30th and final day of the special session is Thursday. The $4 billion capital budget includes more than $1 billion to build classrooms and other school facilities statewide.
Copyright 2017 Northwest News Network
Related Stories:

Programas Head Start reabren en el centro de Washington
Más de 400 niños de varias comunidades del centro de Washington regresaron a sus aulas tras la llegada de los fondos federales para los programas Early Head Start y Head Start de Inspire Development Centers.

One woman finds healing by caring for wild animals on the Palouse
Haku the pig, a resident at Palouse Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation, draws lots of attention from visitors. (Credit: Ryan Law) Listen (Runtime 3:49) Read It’s dark inside this large red

Head Start programs reopen in Central Washington
More than 400 children in Central Washington are returning to their classrooms following the arrival of federal funds for Early Head Start and Head Start programs at Inspire Development Centers. The organization offers early childhood education programs to low-income children through various centers.