"I'm looking forward to helping
tackle fresh challenges facing our Capital Budget Committee, as well as other
matters awaiting us in Olympia," said Stanford. "This committee manages
significant investment-decisions for Washington's several-billion-dollar
construction budget. As you can imagine, these decisions go a long way toward
shaping job-creation and economic-development policies in our King and Snohomish
county communities, and in other cities and towns all across our state."
Stanford, recently re-elected to serve his second term in office, said the Capital Budget Committee looks at money-saving strategies in the construction and repair of public buildings, as well as land-acquisitions and transfers. The committee also keeps a close eye on the state's public, capital-budget dollars that are given or lent to local governments or nonprofit organizations for infrastructure, housing, and cultural and heritage facilities.
He wasn't a member of the Capital Budget Committee in his first term of office. Still, Stanford did win committee-support last year for funding to assist with a substantial construction project in the 1st Legislative District - $800,000 to help pay the bill for building a new Scriber Creek Pedestrian Bridge in Brier. The old Scriber Creek Pedestrian Bridge was damaged in the December 2007 flood.
According to Nicole Gaudette, city planning with the City of Brier, "rebuilding the Scriber Creek Bridge will protect salmon-bearing waters, critical infrastructure, and pedestrian pathway, and the public health. The state's partnership in funding the project is crucial to its success."
