Inslee, Bryant clash over education and infrastructure

In his third and final debate against challenger Bill Bryant, Governor Jay Inslee insisted the Legislature can fix public school funding by the end of next year’s session.

“I’m committed to getting this done in 2017. I believe we can do this,” Inslee said. “I believe a combination of robust economic growth — maybe closing a couple loopholes — we can replace those levy dollars. I think that can be done.”

But Bryant slammed the governor for not coming up with an education plan during his term.

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“In 2013 he had no plan,” he said. “In 2014 he had no plan. In 2015 he vowed action in 2016. But in 2016 all he did was set up that committee to promise to work on it before 2017. That committee has met five times; The governor’s made half of one of those meetings. He has no plan.”

Inslee is a former congressman seeking his second term as governor. He said Washington has the nation’s best economy and was making progress on a host of problems.

Bryant, a former Seattle port commissioner, painted a picture of a state in dire straits because of a disengaged governor. He said he would be “an engaged, activist governor.”

Neither candidate offered a detailed education plan for a state that continues to be criticized for its lack of funding for public schools. The state needs to pump an estimated $3.5 billion more into schools in order to meet the requirements of the McCleary decision, which states the Legislature has to make real, measurable progress each year to fully fund K-12 education by 2018. Bryant suggested the state look at the education funding plan in Massachusetts. Inslee has promised to outline a plan in December if he’s re-elected.

Of course, public education wasn’t the only thing on the table for the tense debate between Inslee and Bryant. The two clashed over the death penalty, Hanford lawsuits and their visions of the state.

And what would be a gubernatorial debate in Washington without bringing up traffic?

“We passed a $16 billion dollar transportation package,” Inslee explained. “This is the largest infrastructure development project in the history of the State of Washington. And this was financed not by tolls, but by an increase in the gas tax.”

The package he is referring to was approved in 2015. The 16-year package includes $8.8 billion for road and safety projects, including mega-projects such as the 520 Bridge, North Spokane Corridor, SR 167/SR 509 Gateway Project, and the widening of I-5 at Joint base Lewis-McChord. Another approximately $2.7 billion was set aside for highway maintenance and preservation and bike paths, rail and transit. A total of $602 million was dedicated for ferries.

But Bryant wasn’t happy with what is being done under Inslee’s watch.

“We need to reduce traffic congestion,” Bryant said. “It will be the top priority for my Washington State Department of Transportation and we don’t need to have more mega-projects. And I want to reiterate, we need to remove one of the toll HOT lanes from I-405.”

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