A clean, green, and efficient future: Gov. Inslee stops in Spokane to talk about transit, climate change, affordable housing

SPOKANE, Wash. — A clean, green, and efficient future. This is what Governor Jay Inslee and Gonzaga University students talked about on Friday.

During a visit to Spokane, Gov. Inslee discussed a transportation package moving through the legislature.

“Move Ahead Washington” is a 16-year package to create a sustainable, achievable future, and it would impact the Inland Northwest in big ways down the road.

He started his day at Gonzaga with a group of students to discuss his climate priorities and answer questions about climate issues. Then, he took an electric bus tour of the Division Street Corridor.

Governor Inslee says the time is now to take action for our climate and also, we have the capability to do so. He’s optimistic for the future, specifically because of the young leaders who are learning what our options are to create more use for renewable resources in our state.

The Washington Senate passed the “Move Ahead Washington Transportation Package,” which Inslee says will help electrify so many more buses across the state.

He claims it’s the greenest, cleanest, most efficient package the legislature has ever passed. It now heads to the House committee.

Another big item on that list is the $50 million Division Street Bus Rapid Transit Project. Spokane Transit took him on a bus tour of the Division Street Corridor to illustrate this, and that tour, taken on one of the new electric buses.

“Look, we know we have bridges that need maintenance, we need surface maintenance on all our rural highways across the state of Washington. This has a relatively robust maintenance and operation portion of this,” Governor Inslee said.

He also said he wants to get more everyday Washingtonians driving electric cars. With that, he’s asking legislators to have a rebate program to make these more affordable.

Also on his agenda: addressing the housing crisis in our state.

“I’ve asked the legislature to pass the most ambitious housing program in state history. I proposed to invest in over $800 million to go into affordable housing,” Governor Inslee explained.

He emphasized the importance of providing supportive wrap-around services for those who struggle with mental health challenges, to keep people successfully out of homelessness.

“I’ve asked them to embrace a few fundamental strategies which are that it’s rapid, we need to get people into housing in months, not years,” Inslee added.

RELATED: Spokane Transit Authority’s electric buses hit the roads

RELATED: Move Ahead WA package to provide $16B for state’s transportation

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