Washington officials have earmarked $927,000 for road improvement work for the city of Asotin.
The funding provided by the state’s Transportation Improvement Board will go to rebuild Second Street between Harding and Washington streets, with no matching funds required from the city. Engineering for the project wraps up next year, with construction getting underway in 2020.
The announcement comes as Asotin has been grappling with budget issues after voters shot down a levy for emergency medical services in August, and a levy lid lift to fund police, fire, parks and city services in November.
Meanwhile, the city council on Monday voted to make another run at the EMS levy on the February 12th ballot, with the measure calling for 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation to fund ambulance service in the city. Fire Chief Noel Hardin says every dollar goes toward emergency medical services at a locked-in rate. By comparison, property owners in Clarkston pay about $1.45 per thousand dollars for ambulance services.
Asotin councilors also approved a 1 percent property tax increase for 2019, though the amount paid by individual homeowners won’t be affected because new residences and businesses have been added to the tax rolls. (Lewiston Tribune)
