HOUSE BILL REPORT

SB 6234

BYSenators Bailey, Patterson, Gaspard, Lee, Smith, Zimmerman, Saling, Anderson, Cantu, Newhouse, Metcalf, Deccio, von Reichbauer, Barr, Vognild and Benitz

Approving projects recommended by the public works board.

House Committe on Local Government

Majority Report:  Do pass.  (12)

      Signed by Representatives Haugen, Chair; Cooper, Vice Chair; Beck, Bumgarner, Butterfield, Dorn, Ferguson, Jones, Nealey, Nelson, Nutley and Rayburn.

House Staff:Steve Lundin (786-7127)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT FEBRUARY 23, 1988

BACKGROUND:

Legislation was enacted in 1985 establishing the Public Works Assistance Account, which is used as a source of money to make low-interest or interest-free loans to local governments for street and road, bridge, water system, and storm or sanitary sewer projects.  The loan program is administered by a thirteen member public works board, the members of which are appointed by the Governor.

The Board submits a list of projects to the Legislature that are recommended for such loans.  A loan may not be made for a project unless the project is included in a specific list of projects that is part of an appropriation of funds by the Legislature for such purposes.  The Legislature can remove projects from the list, but cannot change the order of the priorities that are recommended by the public works board.

SUMMARY:

A list of 55 public works projects are approved for loans totalling $29,086,385 from funds previously appropriated from the Public Works Assistance Account.  The largest loan amount is $1 million, which is provided for ten separate projects, and the smallest loan amount is $32,535.

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Duke Schaub, Association of General Contractors; Pete Butkus, Department of Community Development; and Jim Justin, Association of Washington Cities.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    This is a great program.  My district has a project.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.