I want to thank the Bothell City Council for their decision to purchase the Wayne Sammamish Regional Park.

Bothell is one of the fastest growing regions in the state. It is critical that we continue to fund projects that protect the natural environment and open spaces in our district that will improve our quality of life even as we deal with rapid population growth.

During this legislative session, I was able to secure an additional $1 million in the Senate capital budget to further preserve this land. Unfortunately, gridlock in Olympia has caused capital budget negotiations to stall.

Further complicating matters is the very real possibility of a government shutdown beginning on July 1, which would delay funding for the Wayne acquisition and many other important capital projects in our community.

Coming from the business community, I am shocked with the way negotiations are handled in our current political environment.

However, I remain committed to securing state funding for Wayne land and other important preservation projects in this year’s capital budget. A project of this importance deserves a collaborative funding effort from all levels of government.

Sen. Guy Palumbo represents the First District, including Bothell, in the state Legislature.