HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 1470

                       As Passed House

                      February 14, 1991

Title:  An act relating to appropriations for projects recommended by the Public Works Board.

Brief Description:  Making appropriations for public works projects.

Sponsor(s):  Representatives Ogden, Brough, H. Sommers, Jacobsen, Schmidt, Wynne, Paris, May, Haugen, Betrozoff, Winsley, Edmondson, Cooper, Wilson, Forner, D. Sommers, Tate, Mitchell, Fraser, Spanel and R. Johnson; by request of Department of Community Development.

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Capital Facilities & Financing, February 5, 1991, DP.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

CAPITAL FACILITIES & FINANCING

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 12 members:  Representatives H. Sommers, Chair; Rasmussen, Vice Chair; Schmidt, Ranking Minority Member; Neher, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Beck; Brough; Casada; Fraser; Heavey; Jacobsen; Ogden; and Silver. 

Staff:  Susan Kavanaugh (786-7130).

Background:  Under Chapter 43.155 RCW, the Public Works Board, within the Department of Community Development, may make low-interest or interest-free loans to help local governments finance the repair, replacement or improvement of essential public works:  roads, bridges, water systems, and storm and sanitary sewage systems. 

Each year, the board submits a list of projects to the Legislature for approval.  The Legislature may delete a project from the list but may not add any projects or change the order of the project priorities.

Summary of Bill:  Sixty-five public works projects totaling $51,900,000 are recommended by the Public Works Board for fiscal year 1991.  The appropriation for these projects was included in the 1989-91 capital budget.

Six additional public works projects totaling $7,351,667 are also recommended for fiscal year 1991.  An appropriation from the public works trust fund account is made to cover these six projects.

In total, 71 projects totaling $59,251,667 are recommended by the public works board for fiscal year 1991.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.

Testimony For:  This is a well run program that helps local governments with essential public works, often involving public health and safety.  Various public works projects completed with assistance from the Public Works Trust Fund were described.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  in favor:  Pete Butkus, Department of Community Development; Mary Jo Briggs, City of Vancouver; Jerome Morse, Clark Co.; Charles Shell, City of Seattle; Jim Salatino, Washington State Association of Sewer Districts; and Jim Justin, Association of Washington Cities.