URGENT ACTION NEEDED to Support the Heritage Capital Projects Fund

In a February 3, 2011 blog post, MAin2 alerted readers to the need to support the Heritage Capital Projects Fund (HCPF). State law allows up to $10 million of state bond money to be appropriated for capital projects through the Fund each biennium. Funding for these projects has been appropriated without fail since 1997. This year, however, the Governor’s proposed budget eliminated the Heritage Capital Projects Fund.

The 29 HCPF awardees and supporters have been working hard during this legislative session to urge legislators to restore the fund. The great news is the House included the HCPF to be funded at $10 million in its capital budget! We are thrilled with this progress but the work is not done.

We need your help NOW to ensure this level of funding from the Senate. The Senate is finalizing the budget as we speak.  It is URGENT that your Senators hear how important it is to your community that their budget fully funds the HCPF. Find your legislators’ contact information on this web page.

NOW is the time to act.  In the next 24 hours, please contact your Senators by email or phone to send these TWO simple messages:

1)      Please fund the HCPF at the same level as the House – the full $10 million; and

2)      Ask them to contact Senator Kilmer with the message that this is a high priority for their district (Senator Kilmer is Vice-chair and lead on putting together the Capital budget).

Some tips on how to MOST effectively contact your Senators during this time-sensitive period:

  • Your email “Subject” line should indicate that you are a constituent from their district;
  • Be sure to personalize in some way your email (e.g. mention your project if you are an awardee or there is a project in your community); and
  • Best method is to email your Senator; the second best method is to call his/her legislative aide directly.  If you leave a message, be sure to indicate that you are a constituent!

THIS IS THE FINAL STRETCH!  Together, we’ve accomplished more than many thought was possible.  Your emails/calls WILL make a difference.  Please make contact with your Senators in the next 24 hours. 

Thank you for helping projects from across the state receive critical funding to complete heritage capital projects!

Here’s the list of the 29 capital projects:

1) Schooner Martha (2) Duwamish Riverbend  (3) Port of Chinook Auditorium (4) Bellingham Museum (5) La Conner Quilt and Textile Museum (6) Vancouver Historic Reserve (7) Blue Mountain Heritage Society historic school (8) Tacoma’s Fort Nisqually granary (9) Si View Community Center (10) Port Townsend Carnegie library (11) San Juan County Parks Brann cabin (12) Seattle’s Moore Theatre (13) Jefferson County Courthouse (14) Schooner Adventuress (15) Museum of History and Industry (16) King Street Station (17) Washington Hall (18) Wilkeson Town Hall (19) Lady Washington (20) Maryhill Museum (21) Clymer Museum of Art (22) Phinney Neighborhood Association (23) Foss Waterway Seaport (24) Polson Museum (25) Broadway Center for Performing Arts (26) Northwest Railway Museum (27) The Center for Wooden Boats (28) Seattle Art Museum (29) Des Moines Covenant Beach