News Releases
Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - January 12, 1999
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136

Locke challenges legislature to do the business of the people

OLYMPIA — In his third state of the state address today, Gov. Gary Locke issued a strong challenge to the 56th legislature: to focus on doing the business of the people — the citizens of Washington.

"Knowledge is the price of admission to the 21st century," Locke said. "That's why my primary goal as governor is to make Washington a state of learning – a state where every citizen, of every age, is involved in education, a state where learning is truly a way of life."

In the past two years, Washington has made significant progress under Locke's leadership. Children's test scores are going up as the state's new, tough academic standards begin to take root. Attorney General Christine Gregoire has slayed the nicotine dragon, making new investments in health care and disease prevention possible. Welfare roles have gone down by nearly 33 percent over the last two years, and the Savings Incentive Plan has ended the "spend it or lose it" mentality of state government, freeing millions of dollars for school construction and technology.

Locke used this opportunity to highlight some of his key budget policy initiatives:

Make education the highest priority. Locke proposes an education budget that includes:

-Adding 1,000 new teachers to the state's elementary school classrooms.

-Reforming the state Learning Assistance Program, which provides extra funding for schools where many students are failing.

-Establishing the Washington's Promise Scholarship for middle-class families — a two-year scholarship that can be used at any public or private institution in this state.

Begin paying for the state salmon strategy. Locke is calling for more than $200 million in immediate state and federal investments to help local and tribal governments implement watershed recovery plans.

His plan involves enforcing the environmental laws that currently exists, removing barriers to fish in streams, and helping farmers and timber companies protect salmon habitat.

An Offender Accountability Act to improve community safety. Locke's plan to make communities safer includes supervising 50,000 offenders after release, targeting "meth" labs with eight new response detectives, and hiring 36 additional state troopers.

Focus on economic vitality statewide. Locke is proposing $73 million for improving infrastructure that will bring economic development to rural areas.

A plan for relieving traffic congestion. Locke's transportation plan provides $600 million for work in the next six years on urban corridors impacted by congestion, and plans for completing the High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane construction. The Governor is proposing $650 million over six years to construct additional HOV lanes.

The governor stressed that this budget will focus on education as his top priority and challenges the legislature to make this the "education legislature."

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