Locke Pushes For Increased Cooperation Governor Asks Legislators Again For Gas Tax Hike, Cuts In Other Taxes

Washington may be rolling toward the new millennium with a flourishing state economy, but “this is no time to rest on our laurels,” Gov. Gary Locke told lawmakers Tuesday.

Instead, a newly convened Legislature should embrace “partnerships” - through tax credits, volunteerism and bipartisanship - to improve education, fix and build roads, save salmon runs and boost business in stagnant rural communities, Locke said in his annual State of the State address before senators and representatives.

“We cannot realize this vision if we let today’s economic abundance make us complacent, selfish or shortsighted,” he said.

In a populist speech as thick with conservative themes as cliches, the Democrat touted his supplemental budget package, which calls for $245 million in tax cuts and an increase in net spending of $33 million in the second half of the 1997-1999 biennium.

The half-hour address repeatedly was interrupted by applause from Democrats, while Republicans frequently sat motionless.

Locke announced an end to “days when the response to every problem was a new government program” and cast a plea to the majority Republicans to cooperate, “pledge to put aside self-interest” and “create a legacy that will stand the test of time.”

In making his pitch to recruit 25,000 volunteers to help teach children to read, Locke saluted Spokane father Dale Beeman, “a dad who works nights, then volunteers with kindergartners and firstgraders when he gets off work in the morning.”

Beeman, who attended the speech at Locke’s request, reads to children and helps teachers with art projects two days a week at Garfield Elementary School, where his son Ryan attends.

In urging support for his salmon package - which includes adding more than 90 full-time employees to work on everything from watershed improvement to fish management - Locke thanked a Yakima elementary school class that’s restoring a creek.

But Locke also reiterated his call for lawmakers to increase the state gasoline tax by 11 cents a gallon over five years to raise money for transportation - a measure Republicans repeatedly have promised they will not support.

“I don’t know of any way to do that” without the increase, Locke said.

Republicans said Locke offered no surprises.

“We all have the agenda of saving the salmon, but hiring a bunch of bureaucrats is not the way to solve the problem,” said Senate Budget Committee Chairman Jim West, R-Spokane.

Sen. Majority Leader Dan McDonald, R-Bellevue, called the speech “long on style and a little short on substance,” while House Speaker Clyde Ballard, R-East Wenatchee, said he was “delighted” to hear Locke say he wants to push for charter school legislation.

But all three GOP leaders said they will continue to object to Locke’s transportation program.

They also insisted they have their own plan - one that is to be publicly unveiled today - to raise $2.4 billion for transportation without a tax increase.

“The judge and jury will be the public after we’ve finished with the session,” Ballard said.

, DataTimes