Lawmakers Move Closer To Voting On Budget Budget Negotiators, Key Leaders Work Through The Weekend As Legislature Hopes To Wrap Up Tuesday

Sun., May 21, 1995

David Ammons Associated Press

Budget negotiators reached tentative agreement on nearly all aspects of a $17.6 billion state budget Saturday night, with college tuition one of the few remaining stumbling blocks.

Negotiators signed off on a $501 million package of tax breaks after a day of closed-door leadership huddles. Then, in rapid fire order, negotiators approved:

A salary boost of 4 percent for teachers, college professors and state employees. Earlier plans for a mandatory health-insurance monthly copayment were dropped, but lawmakers ordered a 14 percent cut in insurance premiums that could have the same effect if the state benefits board can’t squeeze out the savings some other way.

The public education budget. The House accepted the Senate’s demand for $67 million for education-reform planning funds for local schools. The money will be added to flexible block grants already being appropriated for the nearly 300 districts, bringing the total to $115 million. The reform funds will provide three planning days for teachers each year.

Most of the higher education budget. Negotiators approved about $20 million to boost college enrollment by about 5,000 slots. That was the highest figure proposed by either chamber. The conferees also agreed to fully fund each new student, rather than asking colleges to absorb part of the extra costs.

The major progress Saturday should permit the Legislature to finish its work by midnight Tuesday - the deadline for adjournment of the 30-day special session.

Gov. Mike Lowry called the overtime session after lawmakers did not complete their work in the 105 days given by the constitution for budget-year sessions.

“This is a very responsible budget that does a good job of balancing the interests of the taxpayer and those who need government service,” said the chief House negotiator, Majority Leader Dale Foreman, R-Wenatchee. “It is a good, balanced budget in both meanings of the word ‘balanced.”’

The only breakdown in negotiations was over tuition levels, and it wasn’t a Negotiators planned to meet again Sunday to iron out a final resolution. The plan still would need a green light from the party caucuses in both houses on Monday. A final vote would be taken sometime Tuesday.

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