The House moved one step closer to passing a Jobs plan that
would put 22,000 people back to work in Washington.
The Jobs Now Package
(HB 2168, HB 2792 & HB 2793) passed the Capital Budget Committee today. It
now heads to a vote of the full House of Representatives.
The idea is based on American history, where we see two
clear examples of how to get out of a deep recession to create jobs and
prosperity.
During the Great Depression, FDR knew we couldn’t cut our
way back to prosperity. Instead, he put everybody to work building a better
America, building the parks, dams, bridges, and colleges we still use today.
The other effort happened here in Washington state in the 1970s. Gov. Dan
Evans, a Republican, saw how jobless people were hurting. He put people to
work, in every corner of Washington, on projects that will help our economy for
decades. His plan was called Jobs Now, Washington’s Future.
The idea behind the package that just passed out of committee
is we can speed up construction work already approved and in the pipeline. Instead
of doing it years from now, create jobs in a hurry by doing as many as possible
right now.
The $1.3 billion in state funds will bring an additional
$800 million in leveraged or matching dollars. Hundreds of projects will get
built in every corner of the state.
Jobs Now also builds infrastructure at our schools and
universities, since we know winning the best jobs requires having the
best-educated workers.
But economic development isn’t always hi-tech buildings and
university labs. Sometimes a simple repair of a sewer or water line is what a
town needs to attract commercial development. Or repairing a hatchery to
increase fish production gives a small town, like the ones along the Skykomish
River, a huge economic boost.
No taxes will be raised. Jobs Now would be financed the same
way we pay for highways projects, with revenue bonds.
Businesses and unions are united on this issue. They’re
cooperating with each other because we need jobs right now. They want a proven
job creator – fast and efficient that will bring jobs everywhere from Aberdeen
to Zillah.
To read this story in Spanish, click here.
To read this story in Spanish, click here.
