OLYMPIA — The governor and legislative leaders agreed Tuesday that, barring a miracle, there will be a special session of the Legislature after its regular session, scheduled to end on Sunday. Agreeing on a two-year budget this week seems impossible.
The only question seems to be how soon a special session will commence. There’s talk of adjourning Friday and starting an overtime session on Monday.
The lead budget-writer in the House, Rep. Ross Hunter, D-Medina, thinks there needs to be a cooling-off period.
“Everyone needs to go to the dentist,” he said.
Republican leaders expressed irritation and resignation that extra time will be needed. Senate Majority Leader Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, thinks a special session should begin immediately.
Gov. Jay Inslee hasn’t decided what to do in terms of overtime, and he’s the decider.
“I am not ever surprised at democracy,” Inslee said hopefully on Tuesday. “Obviously we are going to keep focusing on getting the job done as soon as possible.”
The two parties have been unable to find a path around some big boulders blocking a compromise on a budget, and negotiations are occurring at a glacial pace.
Hunter has said an agreement was needed by Wednesday to allow time to get the budget written, reviewed and voted on by Sunday.
But budget writers in the two chambers are not close to shaking hands on a deal.
“We have got significant work to do,” Hunter said. “The likelihood that we would come to an agreement is almost zero.”
Schoesler was a little less pessimistic. A little.
“I’ve always said the glass is half-full, and I want to be the last one to give up the last glimmer of hope,” Schoesler said.
The governor talked to reporters before meeting privately with leaders of the Senate Republican Caucus. He is to meet with Democratic leaders this week, too.
In 2013, Inslee sent lawmakers home and called them back. That extra session lasted 30 mostly uneventful days and forced a second overtime. Lawmakers reached a budget deal hours before a partial shutdown of state government.
It’s not certain this year will be different. One rumored scenario is an adjournment Friday, before the official end of the 105-day regular session, and a special session starting Monday.
Leaders of the Democrat-controlled House and Republican-controlled Senate generally agree on where the state needs to put resources. They disagree about how much money to spend in the two-year period beginning July 1.
The House passed a $38.8 billion budget, while the Senate countered with a $37.8 billion spending plan. Democrats count on raising revenue with new taxes and Republicans oppose any new taxes to run government.
Those two differences represent the largest boulders. But if the two chambers can agree on how much to spend, referred to in Olympia as “the size of the box,” a compromise could follow swiftly, lawmakers said.
Another obstacle is funding public schools. Both budgets pour money into classrooms and teacher pay, but the Legislature faces a contempt order from the state Supreme Court if it doesn’t devise a plan for reducing reliance on local school district levies. No such plan exists yet.
Around the Capitol, reaction to the looming special session varies.
Rep. Derek Stanford, D-Bothell, said lawmakers can’t throw in the towel because plenty of work not tied to the budget can be handled this week.
“You want to keep the momentum going and try to get done as much as possible,” he said.
Those who began the session cautiously optimistic about finishing on time are now frustrated.
“There should be pressure on everyone,” said Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe, D-Bothell. “There’s got to be a way to find compromise here.”
Sen. Kevin Ranker, D-Orcas Island, said late Monday that it was past time for budget talks to get serious.
At the mention of a special session, he said: “If we’re just going to throw up our arms and do nothing, then I think people should throw up their arms and un-elect us.”
Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623; jcornfield@heraldnet.com.
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