Lawmakers Go Into Overtime Taxes, Budget Among Tough Issues Officials Have Been Putting Off

Washington lawmakers, described as “somewhere between tired and numb,” convened in overtime session Monday, still searching for agreement on pocketbook issues, welfare reform and other sticky issues.

Gavels fell in the House and Senate shortly after 10 a.m., ushering in a special session that could last 30 days. Another overtime session or two could be possible if lawmakers bog down in a partisan standoff.

“It could be slow and ugly,” sighed Rep. Greg Fisher, D-Normandy Park.

But Republican House Speaker Clyde Ballard and Democratic Senate Majority Leader Marcus Gaspard met privately to pledge their best cooperation to wrap up the session in all due haste. Both leaders preside over sometimes fractious caucuses that refuse to always follow direction.

The overtime was required - as it is most years - when lawmakers failed to resolve major differences over the toughest, most politically loaded issues they faced in the first session since the conservative sweep in last November’s elections.

Although the Legislature is scoffing at Gov. Mike Lowry’s insistence that the special session should take only a week, leaders are trying to minimize the overtime stay. The cost for each extra day is about $20,000.

Lawmakers approved a narrowly drawn agenda for the new session: nothing but the budgets (operating, construction, transportation and supplemental) and related bills (tax cuts, welfare reform and prison cost reductions, for instance).

The Legislature apparently will turn a deaf ear to Lowry’s request to advance the presidential primary date from late May up to mid-March, as well as his request for a civil service overhaul.

The new session convened less than 10 hours after the old one had been killed by the clock. There were no special ceremonies, agendasetting speeches or pep talks.

“We know why we’re here,” shrugged Gaspard.

In marked contrast to the lively pace of the previous 24 hours, lawmakers took no action in the first day of the new session. They met in closed-door party caucuses, caught up on correspondence and worked on crossword puzzles. A handful worked on negotiating teams.

Ballard described himself and colleagues as “somewhere between tired and numb” but said he and Gaspard are firm in their resolve to keep rankand-file lawmakers in town - and occupied - while negotiators seek to iron out differences.

The speaker confirmed that a high level negotiating team, including top senators, representatives and the governor, soon will begin work on the tax package. The House wants a $738 million package, the largest rollback in state history; the Senate says its own $264 million package is more prudent.

“Once we come to agreement on a tax cut, the rest will come together rather quickly,” Ballard said in an interview.

“My hope is that we can complete our business within the 30 days,” Gaspard said. “The challenge is for the House Republican leaders not to allow 11 of their members to hold this state hostage.”

He was referring to ultraconservatives who say they won’t vote for a budget that exceeds the $17.3 billion level the House approved. It takes 50 votes to pass a budget in the House; the Republicans have 61 members.

A six-member negotiating team - three from each House and three from each party - resumed budget talks. They agreed on some relatively minor issues, such as saving $15 million by changing school-bus group purchasing methods.

Transportation budget negotiators also reported progress Monday.Before adjourning the regular ses sion, lawmakers approved a major reform of the state’s laws on runaways, giving parents and authorities more leverage and attacking the problem of truancy by putting teens’ driver’s licenses at risk if they cut classes too much.

The Legislature also approved a tougher law on drunken driving and a law to shield children from pornography.

Bills also were approved allowing some school districts to operate with special levies above the 20 percent lid set by state law, combining or abolishing 50 state boards and commissions and boosting the fine for parking in a handicapped spot to $175 from the current $50.