Washington Legislature Adjourns, But Special Session Possible

Austin Jenkins
04/27/2009

The Washington Legislature has adjourned after a 105–day session. But a special session may be necessary so lawmakers can complete unfinished business. A handful of budget–related bills did not pass the House before the midnight deadline last night (Sunday). Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown explained the situation to reporters.

Brown: "My understanding is the House and Senate leadership are going to speak with the Governor in the next couple of days and we may come back for a very short session to finish those bills that help implement the budget."

Governor Chris Gregoire issued a statement that suggests a special session is likely. She said work remains to be done and she will meet with legislative leaders to determine when the Legislature will reconvene. The Governor may view a special session as an opportunity to resurrect her climate change bill — a top priority that died.

The Washington legislative session was dominated by a $9 billion budget crisis. Majority Democrats balanced the budget without a sales tax increase, but with a big assist from one–time federal stimulus dollars. Nonetheless, the final budget makes billions of dollars in cuts. And no one is going home happy.

The final gavel fell on the session at 1:00 a.m. after an hour–long delay to figure out if a special session would be necessary.

Morris: "The House is adjourned. Sine die."

The late night drama came after a day of behind–the–scenes negotiations and last minute deal making that ran out the clock.

Of course the big story of the session was the budget. Majority Democrats were forced to slash more than $4 billion in planned spending for the next two years. A subdued State Rep. Hans Dunshee says this is the worst budget he's seen in 15 years in the Legislature.

Dunshee: "They're going to be people who will lose services and die."

And Dunshee says that's not hyperbole. Among the cuts: 40,000 people off the Basic Health Plan, a billion dollars out of public schools, and almost 10,000 fewer slots at Washington's public colleges and universities. Those who do get a slot will see higher tuition. Dunshee wishes his own party had been more creative in the face of this fiscal crisis.

Dunshee: "This place is designed to kill any new ideas. It is really a place where the dead hand of tradition hangs heavily and the status quo always has the advantage, so any new idea always is going to have to overcome the inertia of the status quo."

Minority Republicans are frustrated too. They wanted to see wholesale overhauls or even the elimination of some expensive programs, like the Basic Health Plan and General Assistance Unemployable — a welfare program for people who temporarily can't work. Senate Minority Leader Mike Hewitt complains Republicans were shunted aside by majority Democrats.

Hewitt: "If you are a fiscal conservative serving in the minority this was not the place to be this year. This was my ninth session and was by far the most frustrating for me having been shut totally out of the process. No say so whatsoever."

While the budget dominated, it wasn't the only issue of the session. Some of the bills that passed included a boost in unemployment benefits, an expansion of health care for kids, and funding to replace Seattle's Viaduct with a tunnel. Despite opposition from the teachers' union, lawmakers also pushed through the first redefinition since the 1970s of what constitutes a basic education in Washington. Democrats also expanded the state's domestic partnership law to give gay and lesbian partners the same legal rights as married couples. There was even talk of tax reform. Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown floated the idea of an income tax on people making more than $250,000 a year. It didn't go anywhere, but State Rep. Deb Eddy predicts the idea will be back.

Eddy: "I think in another year we will be able to talk about bringing the entire revenue scheme to a more progressive place. We can't have that conversation yet."

Reporter: "Does that mean the income tax?"

Eddy: "For me it does."

Perhaps surprisingly, Democrats did not send voters a temporary sales tax increase to buy back cuts to health care. Early on, several Democrats predicted such a measure would come out of this session, but in the end, polling showed voters were uninterested. Still, Republicans say there are plenty of new taxes in the budget disguised as fee increases. House Republican Leader Richard DeBolt points out no Republicans voted for the budget.

DeBolt: "When I came in this session, I stood up and I offered a hand, and I meant it. Eventually the process left other opinions behind and that's not what the citizens of Washington state want."

Now as bleary–eyed lawmakers head home, the real–life implications of the budget cuts will begin to unfold. Right away, school districts, state agencies and those who receive state dollars will have to start preparing for this new, leaner reality. I'm Austin Jenkins in Olympia.