Flanked by advocates and fellow Democratic senators, Sharon Nelson, leader of the senate Democrats in Olympia formally announced Thursday a proposal to channel $286 million - more than a third of the state’s rainy day fund - into programs fighting homelessness. Nelson had told Crosscut about the upcoming proposal last week, although some of the details were still being finalized.
Included in the bill would be just under $18.5 million for programs for homeless people dealing with mental illness and substance abuse, $60 million for upgrading emergency shelter and support services, $4.6 million for homeless youth services, and $3 million for housing grants. Nelson proposed tapping the state’s so-called “rainy day fund” — currently the fund holds a little under $700 million — and requires a supermajority vote to access.
The presentation of the bill marked the latest development in a back-and-forth between the parties in Olympia over the issue. Nelson had flagged homelessness as a priority issue, potentially deserving emergency funds, before the session even started — and Senate Republican leader Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, responded at the same event that he was skeptical of the idea in general. Despite carrying the signature of 22 of the 24 Democrats in the Senate, not a single Republican has signed onto it, and Republicans including Schoesler have continued to say the measure won’t get past their caucus in the Senate.
With other fights building over education in Olympia and Republicans maintaining a dominant negotiating position along with their control of the Senate, chances of the bill making it much beyond committee (the earliest stage of a bill’s consideration in Olympia) seem slim.
