Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - July 25, 2001
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136

Gov. Locke’s statement on end of third special session

“The bipartisan negotiating team from the House and Senate are to be commended for their hard work. They did an incredible job over the last several weeks to come up with a transportation plan that deals with the needs of the entire state. A plan that would move us forward, not just for a couple of years, but for many years to come.

“I find it completely unacceptable that the House Republican leadership undermined their own negotiators. The goal posts were constantly being moved, the demands constantly changing. Whatever the negotiators proposed was never good enough for the House Republican leadership.

“We have businesses that are contemplating expansion in Washington who have threatened to look elsewhere unless the transportation mess is fixed. If these businesses expand or move outside Washington state, it will not only mean lost jobs for today’s workers, but also it will mean lost job opportunities for our children and grandchildren in the future.

“The negotiators and I will continue to work on completing a transportation package. We won’t give up. This issue is too important to walk away from. It is too important to the future of our state.”

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Related Links:
- Washington State Legislature

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