‘Game of chicken’

In their open caucus, House Democrats expressed some disappointment about the House plan to unilaterally adjourn today, and the cost and uncertainty posed by the gambit. “How long do they intend to keep playing this game of chicken?” asked Rep. Anne Pasley-Stuart, D-Boise. Meanwhile, the start of the GOP caucus was delayed while GOP leaders huddled with their committee chairmen to go over all outstanding bills and make sure loose ends are tied up for their planned adjournment; Majority Leader Mike Moyle, R-Star, paid a visit to Senate leaders for the same purpose.

Speaker Lawerence Denney said the GOP’s closed-door caucus will be to discuss the meeting with the governor and see if the caucus is on board with plans to adjourn today, or if they have other ideas. Asked if they’ll consider the governor’s statements yesterday that he’s willing to offer a time-delayed, economically-triggered gas tax increase as a compromise, Denney said, “We’ll certainly give them the opportunity, but I don’t know, I don’t think so.” Said Denney, “We’re still at loggerheads on the gas tax. … The governor absolutely wants a gas tax. The fact is that even if we wanted to agree, we couldn’t get the votes.”

The Senate, for its part, is preparing to go into its 14th Order and take up amendments to HB 303, a measure dealing with education funding.