When Washington lawmakers meet in three weeks for the 2017 legislative session, Clark County will ask to speed up improvements to a troublesome interchange and secure funding for other transportation infrastructure, while also seeking increased funding for county services and projects.
Earlier this month Clark County finished up its list of priorities that it will direct its lobbyist to advocate for during the upcoming 105-day legislative session. Clark County Manager Mark McCauley said that the list was put together with input from department directors and county councilors.
County Chair Marc Boldt said the county tried to keep its wish-list short because lawmakers are expected to be consumed with approving a two-year budget and complying with a court order requiring them to fully fund basic education.
“We just know that with (education funding and the budget), not much is going to happen, so that’s why we tried to keep it really simple,” Boldt said.
A top priority for Clark County is to move up the timeline for funding improvements to the interchange near Interstate 5 and 179th Street. Last year, lawmakers passed Connecting Washington, a transportation funding package. However, money for the project isn’t scheduled until 2024-2025, and Clark County will ask that the project be funded sooner.
“That’s absolutely vital to the economic future of unincorporated areas,” McCauley said.
The county’s legislative priorities include $79.8 million for improvements to the Chelatchie Prairie Railroad, which has been owned by the county since 1987. According to a fact sheet from the county, land adjacent to the line has the potential to generate more than 35,000 jobs if investments are made to the railroad.
The county also will ask lawmakers to make changes to a state law to allow counties to spend more money on maintaining land acquired for conservation purposes. Currently, counties can create a special tax levy to acquire and preserve lands. But they can only spend 15 percent of the levy for maintenance. McCauley said that unless the county is allowed to spend more on maintenance, it could end up holding off on acquiring new properties.
Additionally, the county is supporting efforts to increase money for public defense, local health departments, a grant for improvements at its courthouse and maintaining the Public Works Trust Fund, which provides low-interest loans for infrastructure projects.
“What we would like to do is build a triage and crisis center for people with substance abuse or mental health issues,” McCauley said.
To that end, Clark County, as well as Skamania County, is asking for $18.7 million for a regional crisis center. The county expects that taking individuals facing substance abuse or mental health issues to the center rather than the emergency room or county jail could provide better outcomes. According to estimates, diverting this population from county jails to the center could save local jurisdictions $712,000 and PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center $1.4 million annually.
The county also signed on to the Clark County Transportation Alliance, a coalition of governments, entities and business groups that have identified transportation projects in the county in need of funding. According to the alliance’s policy statement, the “deficiencies in the I-5 corridor and outdated interstate bridges remains the region’s top priority.”
“We will get out-shouted if we don’t work together,” said Ron Arp, president of the economic development group Identity Clark County, who is helping spearhead the effort.
