Legislature Passes Transportation Budget

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — The Legislature has passed a transportation budget that includes money for raising the salaries of Washington State Patrol officers. The House on Wednesday concurred with amendments to the proposal passed by the Senate, approving the budget by an 86-10 vote. It now heads to Gov. Jay Inslee. The transportation budget alters the two-year budget adopted last year by $507 million, and provides $5 million to the state patrol to raise the salaries of troopers, sergeants, captains and lieutenants by five percent. A recent report to the Legislature said many troopers take higher paying jobs at local police departments, creating an "unsustainable drop" in officers.