So, amendments in the Senate Transportation Committee drag the CRC Scam over the coals:.
Senators support state audit for CRC
Transportation committee members also approve restricting CRC money until the project gets its Coast Guard permit
The Washington Senate's bare-bones transportation budget plan now would require a state audit of the Columbia River Crossing, thanks to an amendment added to the budget proposal this morning. The budget proposal also would place conditions on when the megaproject could receive more money to cover its ongoing planning costs.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
The Washington Senate's bare-bones transportation budget plan now would require a state audit of the Columbia River Crossing, thanks to an amendment added to the budget proposal this morning. The budget proposal also would place conditions on when the megaproject could receive more money to cover its ongoing planning costs.
The budget plan includes more than $81 million to cover ongoing CRC planning costs, but one amendment would freeze nearly all of that money until the U.S. Coast Guard approves the CRC bridge design. Another amendment calls for the state’s Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee to conduct an audit of the CRC’s finances.
The amendments to the budget plan are seen as a compromise between Senate Transportation Committee members who support the CRC and committee members who are critical of the project.
State Sen. Don Benton, R-Vancouver and member of that committee, had questioned why the state would want to give any more to the CRC “boondoggle,” even for planning purposes. On Thursday morning, however, he supported the $81 million in the budget, along with the new amendments.
More:The budget proposal passed out of committee and now heads for a full Senate vote.
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