Washington state lawmakers gathered Monday for a new legislative session that is expected to include a broad revamp of government spending and a close review of whether the state should legalize gay marriage.
Budget negotiators are already working toward the Legislature’s main task of closing a roughly $1 billion projected budget shortfall.
But both parties have widely differing views on the best approach.
“This is as challenging as anything we’ve ever had to deal with in a short session,” Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown, a Democrat, said after her chamber adjourned for the day.
Washington’s government runs on spending plans that are rewritten every two years, with a tuneup at the halfway mark. The Legislature gets 105 days to write the big budget in odd-numbered years, and 60 days to approve the midstream changes.
In December, Gov. Chris Gregoire proposed spending cuts that included a shortened school year, the elimination of social services for thousands of low-income residents and the early release of some prisoners.
The Democratic governor also has proposed a temporary half-cent sales tax increase that would raise nearly $500 million a year and offset some cuts – particularly in education.
House Republican Leader Richard DeBolt of Chehalis said that tax proposal would simply be a Band-Aid on a severed arm and that his party wants to reshape and refocus government. He also said his party wanted to provide funding for education but cautioned against what he called a “regressive” tax increase.
“Quit holding our kids hostage for a tax increase,” he said.
Aside from the upcoming budget debates, Gregoire renewed a broader discussion on same-sex marriage as she announced her support last week and said she’d be pushing for legislation to be passed in the coming months.
House Speaker Frank Chopp, D-Seattle, included same-sex marriage in a list of priorities during a speech Monday on the floor.
“I respect that there are strong views on both sides of this issue, but this is the right time to be fair to people – and choose equality,” Chopp said.
Republicans have balked at efforts to approve gay marriage, saying the budget needs to be the primary focus.
A marijuana legalization effort is also being proposed. Supporters turned in their petition signatures last month. If the Legislature doesn’t take up the issue, it immediately goes to the November ballot.
Lawmakers made some adjustments to the state budget in December, relying on some cuts, transfers and delayed payments. Along with fixing the $1 billion gap, they want to leave several hundred million dollars as a buffer in case the economy underperforms.
Democratic Sen. Ed Murray, a leading budget writer, said he hoped lawmakers would be able to finish their budget work in February in order to get a public vote on the tax plan in the spring. He said the budget review process was challenging because lawmakers are looking closely at cutting programs that directly impact vulnerable people, such as services for people with health challenges or people who have developmentally disabled children.
“When you look at cutting those programs, it’s a very, very, very painful process,” Murray said.
JOIN THE DISCUSSION | Register here
We welcome comments. Please keep them civil, short and to the point. ALL CAPS, spam, obscene, profane, abusive and off topic comments will be deleted. Repeat offenders will be blocked. Thanks for taking part — and abiding by these simple rules. A thorough explanation of rules of conduct can be found in our Terms of Service. If you have any questions, including why your comment may not be showing immediately after you submit it, be sure to visit the commenting FAQ.