Politics: Frockt says that State Senate majority Democrats must start by passing capital budget

State Sen. David Frockt, D-46
Lake Forest Park, Kenmore, NE Seattle
Vice-Chair, Senate Ways and Means

By Evan Smith

Democratic State Sen. David Frockt, D-46 says that passing a state capital budget should be the first order of business for the new Democratic majority in the State Senate when the legislature reconvenes in January.

The capital budget, supported by the state’s bonding authority, pays for government buildings and other projects such as, 

• a roof replacement at Shoreline Community College, 
• the International Community Health Services project in Shoreline, 
• the McKinnon Creek Wellfield infrastructure improvements in Lake Forest Park, 
• dental clinic capacity grants, and 
• grants for buildings at schools and colleges, 
• flood-control facilities and 
• early learning facilities.

During the 2017 legislative session, the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives passed a capital budget, but the Republican-controlled Senate held up the capital budget over a fix to a State Supreme Court decision on water rights.

A Democratic victory in a November special election gave Democrats a 25-24 majority.

The switch to a Democratic majority makes Frockt the lead vice chairman for the capital budget on the Senate Ways and Means Committee. 

Frockt said early this week, “Passing a capital construction budget is very important for our state.”

Then, Thursday, after Gov. Jay Inslee announced a proposed capital construction budget for 2018, he added this:

“I share the governor’s urgency in passing a long-delayed construction budget. His construction budget proposal rightly builds upon an agreement on a construction budget last July that has yet to receive a vote in the Senate.

“It’s time now for the Legislature to pass a construction budget based on the July 18 agreement and address our urgent infrastructure needs and make important investments in school construction, housing and mental health. As the Senate’s lead negotiator on this matter, I will be pushing for early action when the Legislature convenes in January.”

Frockt represents the 46th Legislative District, including Lake Forest Park, Kenmore and northeast Seattle. In addition to his place on the Ways and Means Committee, he is a member of the Senate Law and Justice Committee and the committee on human services and corrections.