[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6094637,"mediaKeyId","2842230-cca26b931ea94b9d48294c512ea0bacf","parentId",2842230,"title","Fish passage funding proposal divides local governments and tribes; bill would create dedicated utility tax revenue stream","audioSeconds",7465,"startMs",8525000,"endMs",1060000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2842230-cca26b931ea94b9d48294c512ea0bacf&start=8525&end=1060","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2842230-cca26b931ea94b9d48294c512ea0bacf/thumbnail_8525000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6094637/Washington/Fish-passage-funding-proposal-divides-local-governments-and-tribes-bill-would-create-dedicated-utility-tax-revenue-stream","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6094637-4d2770130f3b2ce44a723e8d8049278e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771150094&Signature=YLEVLYLzFqmVYfDuda9Ws7v5-Ivl6h6NH5uImOLjDL5RyCGQEzzNnZAejlFC2eCVlQF3clFgwmwrN55CiJIhIkMwEXDaUrKldaoVebHfCdeKo6nuaSgb8nqtekW3YuHk2D~knSSn1q7Fj70kJ6ulvSL5IU~8ikIuatfX-xegbgF2vdLb0X6n0DAzbq-30ZhggWsLuz00c-UWA1W8OJlAnWFFPY4h~21~P3UYSIqAL7RwwWk1QlRinmMwCq~DrAcXQzxYZxvkI67q0aResvXsgVfijtgfkKJvRE9lMGSEbQFbgE12m52FBgIDv45Hlotu1uOjBJ9uKT0i2xBQaF26Nw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Senate Ways & Means","date","2025-04-01T00:00:00Z","article","A staff briefing described the proposal and its legal context before the committee heard competing testimony on whether the bill's revenue structure should replace existing local infrastructure funding. \"By way of background,\" Michael Buzanson told senators, the federal court issued \"a permanent injunction requiring the state to provide and maintain fish passage for salmon and numerous culverts under state owned roads,\" and the cost to correct the remaining barriers has been estimated in excess of $5,000,000,000.

Senate Bill 5804 would create a new dedicated account funded by a restructured public utility tax on light and power utilities and authorize $5,000,000,000 in special tax‑obligation (revenue) bonds to pay for fish‑passage projects tied to the injunction. The bill redirects taxes that currently flow to the Public Works Assistance Account into the state general fund to keep the general fund whole and dedicates the light‑and‑power portion to the new fish‑habitat account; loan repayments would continue to flow to Public Works under the proposal, according to staff analysis.

Tribal leaders and restoration groups testified in support of the bill as a necessary step to meet treaty and court obligations. Rosemary LeClere, chair of the Nooksack Tribe, said restoring access to blocked habitat \"is one of the most critical and cost‑effective steps\" to reverse salmon declines and described the legislation as a necessary funding mechanism to carry out the state's legal duties.

Local governments, the Public Works Board and utility associations opposed the measure or urged major changes, saying the bill would hollow out the Public Works Assistance Account. Marie Sullivan, representing the Public Works Board, warned that the proposed statutory revenue shifts would remove the program's principal revenue sources and leave the revolving loan fund to rely on loan repayments and minimal bonding. \"The portions of the ... taxes deposited monthly in the account are the lifeblood that sustains this national model that has supported infrastructure projects in your communities for over 40 years,\" Sullivan testified.

Public utility and local‑government witnesses said the change would raise long‑term costs for local ratepayers and jeopardize planned projects. Bill Clark of the Washington PUD Association and John Rothlin of Avista said the proposed nexus between electric utility taxes and transportation‑related culvert repairs is tenuous. Cities and counties said they remain ready to coordinate watershed‑level prioritization, but warned that reassigning long‑standing revenue streams risks creating gaps in drinking‑water, sewer, stormwater and other public‑works programs.

Several witnesses suggested alternate approaches such as watershed‑based prioritization, federal funding applications and a mix of bond proceeds and targeted state funds rather than a permanent revenue shift. Committee members pressed staff and witnesses for details about the interaction of revenue sources and the Public Works Assistance Account, and staff noted that the bill would include an authorization up to $5 billion but that interest rates and capitalization assumptions remain unknown.

Ending: Senators closed the hearing and agreed to consider amendments. The bill’s ultimate shape will depend on negotiations among the Senate, the House and the executive branch and on the mediation process with tribal plaintiffs that staff said is ongoing.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Ways & Means - 4/1/2025 4:00 PM","oneSentenceSummary","Staff briefed the Ways & Means Committee on Senate Bill 5804, a proposal to dedicate part of the public utility tax on light and power to a new fish‑habitat account and authorize up to $5 billion in special tax‑backed bonds to fund salmon‑recovery work ordered by a federal injunction; tribal leaders and restoration groups supported the funding plan while local governments, PUDs and the Public Works Board warned the measure would jeopardize the Public Works Assistance Account.","taxTitle","Ways & Means, Senate, Legislative Sessions, Washington","taxId",20513,"location","Washington","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6094641,"Ways & Means hears capital budget briefing; housing, behavioral health and schools draw broad support",0,2981000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2842230-cca26b931ea94b9d48294c512ea0bacf&start=2981&end=2981","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2842230-cca26b931ea94b9d48294c512ea0bacf/thumbnail_2981000.jpg","/articles/6094641/Washington/Ways-Means-hears-capital-budget-briefing-housing-behavioral-health-and-schools-draw-broad-support","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6094641-7b2c47cc39d7725e1842d99ea7fda802/orig.mp4?Expires=1771150094&Signature=HNiuU489-VXlX~~ZRhj8LvgX74nyOJ71wcahMo-NIBXsonO6FIQUAvAM-q11ED2zst-9clm3XDF6dCNi-8X4N5AjEEV6EZ~uGFlDIBJB9~hYBvIUVrZGjNXIPtQwjlkLS~cydDHSP-o8algLqCP2sM54mPjr~E0sBjh5c6r2rMDbdukWoNdJDfeb0rHc8tFUpSgAS4F9931FOjCmE-k0JBzheUI3UNQJJFd4xigf1-HPM3cao2LaXqJp9cx7EEZwifkdgV0MiT0WsJAAeSVUUalhu7ZrqOVD9wBDZK06hYNDU3XPTJCFxDKPZTEDN5U4tWJ2CjafD8AHehdVEhpm8w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Michael Buzanson, staff to the Ways & Means Committee, briefed senators on the proposed substitute capital and bond bills and summarized the spending in broad categories. \"Starting with 5 one 94, the bond bill, that bill would authorize $4,900,000,000 in debt,\" Buzanson said, and he outlined major capital investments, including an estimated $747,000,000 in new housing spending, $282,000,000 for behavioral health projects including Western State Hospital, and over $563,000,000 for the School Construction Assistance Program.

The committee heard sustained public testimony supporting housing trust fund dollars, preservation of manufactured-home communities, and project-level requests. Ryan Donahue, chief advocacy officer at Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King-Kittitas, thanked the committee for investments that his organization says will expand affordable homeownership and singled out a $10,000,000 CHIP allocation for the Fort Lawton project and $4,500,000 for the Orchard Gardens project in Bellevue.

Advocates for refugee housing and wraparound services, including Jim Castro Lang of Thrive International, spoke in favor of $2,000,000 in the Senate budget to support Thrive's Thrive Center in Tacoma. Jeff DeLuca of Washington State Community Action Partnership praised funding for weatherization and home repair but urged the committee to consider higher allocations in conference.

Behavioral health providers told the committee the capital proposal would allow new long‑term beds, parent-and-pregnant-women programs and community treatment capacity. Steve O'Ban described a provider plan for 115 behavioral-health beds in Yakima and asked for $5,000,000 in state support. Evergreen Recovery Centers, represented by Brad Banks, noted the budget items that would expand units for pregnant and parenting women.

Education and early-learning interests praised grants for seismic safety, small‑school modernization and early‑learning facilities. Melissa Gumboski of ESD 112 and Tyler Mensch of the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction said the school seismic safety grants and small‑district modernization dollars support student safety and small-district viability; both speakers urged the committee to reconsider projects left off the grant list.

Local and regional project sponsors — ports, community health centers and nonprofit developers — presented project‑specific requests tied to the capital package. Testifiers asked the committee to hold funding levels for Alliance Place (a transit‑oriented development in Lynnwood) and other locally prioritized projects, and port and public‑safety witnesses described infrastructure effects if requested grants and loans are reduced.

Michael Buzanson closed the staff briefing noting the proposed capital and bond totals and an estimated $222,000,000 ending fund balance. The committee then opened the public‑testimony portion and set a strict one‑minute timer to accommodate the volume of speakers.

Ending: Committee members said the budget will move to conference with the House and that negotiations will determine final funding levels. Staff and many testifiers asked senators to \"hold the line\" on housing and behavioral health allocations during those discussions.","Senate Ways & Means Committee received a staff briefing on the proposed substitute capital budget (Senate Bill 5195) and heard more than two dozen public testimonies urging sustained or increased investments in affordable housing, behavioral health facilities, early learning and school seismic and modernization grants.","actionData","errors"]

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Fish passage funding proposal divides local governments and tribes; bill would create dedicated utility tax revenue stream

Ways & Means hears capital budget briefing; housing, behavioral health and schools draw broad support