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Kitsap County State Rep. Sherry Appleton (D-Poulsbo) began her fourth year in the Legislature with a coveted seat on the House Capital Budget Committee. One of three budget-writing committees in the House, the Capital Budget panel oversees state spending on construction and repair of state office buildings, colleges and universities, prisons and juvenile-rehabilitation facilities, public schools, parks and several other major elements of the state’s infrastructure.
Unlike the state’s operating and transportation budgets, which often give rise to bitter partisan battles, the Capital Budget is usually met with strong bipartisan approval, because nearly half of it is financed by state-issued bonds, while the balance is drawn from dedicated accounts, trust revenue and federal funding sources.
“The Capital Budget Committee is fortunately able to make badly needed investments that benefit individual communities and the entire state,” Appleton noted, “without resorting to tax increases or service cuts to find the money.”
Olympic College was the biggest beneficiary of the 2007-09 capital budget, with nearly $40 million in construction, repair and renovation funding.
“We’ll write a relatively small supplemental budget this session,” she said, “but I’m already looking down the road at the 2009-11 budget that will take shape next year.” Appleton continued that she hopes to help Kitsap County Mental Health’s Burwell House, the Poulsbo Marine Science Center, WestSound Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, and Bainbridge Island’s Kids Discovery Museum and several County parks.
To make the move to the Capital Budget Committee, Appleton vacated her seat on the House Early Learning and Children’s Services Committee. She will continue to serve as vice-chair of the House State Government and Tribal Affairs Committee, and as a member of the House Transportation Committee.
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