Republicans get budget proposal to Senate floor for debate

OLYMPIA – Senate Republicans, aided by three conservative Democrats, used parliamentary maneuvers to push their alternative budget to a vote Friday and embarrass the majority of Democrats who up until that afternoon controlled the chamber.

They presented a budget that has no tax increases, some $773 million in cuts, and avoids some of the accounting shifts that Democratic plans use to close a gap between the state’s expected revenues and its planned expenses.

On a series of 25-24 votes, Republicans pulled a budget proposed in November by the governor from the Ways and Means Committee where it has languished for months, then made a motion to substitute their alternative spending plan for the governor’s.

They then fought off a series of changes Democrats tried to make to the alternative budget, usually with a one-vote margin. They suspended a rule that requires the Senate to adjourn for the day at 10 p.m. and debated past the newspaper’s deadline.

Democrats complained that neither they nor the public had time to review the Republicans’ budget. It hasn’t had a hearing, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Ed Murray, D-Seattle, said: “Transparency is being tossed out the window along with any hope for bipartisanship.”

But Senate Minority Leader Mike Hewitt, R-Walla Walla, said bipartisanship has been lacking since the session started in January. Unlike last year, when both parties worked together on a budget, Republicans say they have been shut out of discussions.

But with less than a week left in the session, Senate Democrats still didn’t have the votes needed to pass their budget, he said.

“This is not about partisan politics. This is about trying to get things to work right,” Hewitt said.

Democrats objected at every turn, as bills were moved around by parliamentary rules. But they didn’t have the votes to stop it as three of their own – Sens. Jim Kastama, Tim Sheldon and Rodney Tom – voted with Republicans. As a delaying tactic, the remaining Democrats invoked a rule that required the bill to be read aloud in the chamber.

Senate Reader Ken Edmonds began reading the 235 pages of the original governor’s budget, fully enunciating every digit, funding change and website address, until senators agreed to pause for dinner.

While Edmonds read on, Democrats gathered in the wings to draft amendments and Gov. Chris Gregoire met with House leaders, who approved their budget proposal earlier this week and were expecting to negotiate compromises in the coming days.

A clearly angry Gregoire emerged from the meeting, and with a voice scratchy from laryngitis, blasted Senate Republicans for dropping an unseen budget never subjected to public hearings into the process with less than a week remaining in the session.

“This institution is about transparency. It’s about letting the voices of the people through the door,” she said.

Gregoire dismissed Republican complaints that they’d been shut out of the budgeting process. “I have reached out and worked with them. They never brought (their budget) to me.”

Hewitt shrugged when told of the governor’s comments.

“At least we broke the logjam,” he said.