Legislature 2003: New try for budget accord

OLYMPIA -- Legislative negotiators plan to resume talks tomorrow over the two political parties' dramatically different proposals for filling a $2.7 billion budget shortfall, but leaders expressed skepticism that they can avoid a long session when the full Legislature reconvenes May 12.

"Once you start the clock, there's always one more thing that you want to do," said Senate Majority Leader Jim West, R-Spokane.

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West predicted lawmakers would stay in session the full 30 days allowed when they return to pass a two-year, $23 billion budget and face off in tough debates over taxes, spending and policy matters.

Speaker of the House Frank Chopp, D-Seattle, countered: "I think we can do better than that." Still, Chopp also called May 12 a "target date" for a bipartisan deal on taxes and spending, stopping short of calling it a deadline.

Democratic Gov. Gary Locke gave negotiators two weeks to reach a deal before starting the special session. Legislators failed to agree on a budget before Sunday's adjournment of the 15-week legislative session.

Special sessions cost about $17,000 a day in salaries, legislators' expenses and other costs. That would be more than $500,000 for 30 days.

Lawmakers also hope to complete deals during that session on reforming water laws, authorizing charter schools and other education reform, and offering relief from prescription drug costs.

Democrats' proposal to raise revenue about $359 million -- including tax increases on tobacco, liquor and candy -- bodes for tough negotiations. Democrats couldn't achieve a majority for their plan among their own members in the House, where they hold a 52-46 advantage, until the 104th day of the 105-day session.

West said that the Senate is "pretty darned firm" in its opposition to raising taxes. "It's too bad Frank made the horse to ride out on taxes," said West, who plans to undergo colon cancer surgery in Spokane this week. West expects to be back in Olympia in time for the special session.

In addition to proposed tax increases, the two parties are far apart on some major spending questions, including whether to give teachers and other state workers pay raises, how deeply to cut into health care for the poor and how much to cut from school spending.

By the end of their work this year, lawmakers will probably have amended six ballot measures approved by voters in recent years, mostly to deal with the shortfall.

And new sticking points continue to crop up.

For example, the House budget would have granted $2-an-hour pay raises for home care workers making less than $8 an hour. A recent ballot measure granted those workers the right to unionize. Now legislators are struggling to figure out if they can offer less without violating collective bargaining laws.

Also, social-service lobbyists were outraged to discover that the House plan would charge some poor families per-child premiums of $10 to $15 monthly for Medicaid health coverage. The Senate proposal also included a premium. Chopp said he was checking into the House proposal, which took many by surprise.

Much of the negotiating over the next two weeks falls to the top two budget writers in the GOP-controlled Senate and Democrat-controlled House. But Chopp said he planned on having other leaders in his caucus at the table, possibly including himself.

Another issue still in the air is the proposed closure of one of the state's five institutions for the developmentally disabled, which are well below capacity. Both parties' budget proposals assumed the state would close an institution.

A state workers' union lobbied loudly, often and passionately against any closure.

Now, said House Majority Leader Lynn Kessler, D-Hoquiam, odds for closure are "shaky at best."

But both parties are confident the Legislature will approve legislation allowing independent, publicly financed charter schools and major reforms to state water laws during the special session.

In fact, they had a deal on those issues Sunday night, but Chopp decided to hold off until the overtime session.

"People just were very, very tired," Chopp said. On such substantial legislation, he added, "it's better to come back with a fresh mind."

Kessler added that the charter-school bill might help grease the wheels for other education reform next month.

"If we pass the charter school bill, I think (the Senate) will be more ready to do that," she said.

Late Sunday, lawmakers also largely reached a deal on a bill aiming to helping the poor afford pharmaceuticals. Both sides are hopeful they can approve that in the session, too.

P-I reporter Angela Galloway can be reached at 360-943-3990 or angelagalloway@seattlepi.com

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