Senator: Stalling negotiations part of Democrats’ strategy

Ending the legislative session two days early and forcing lawmakers to extend negotiations may have been a strategy by the Democrats, according to one Democratic lawmaker.

“As a Democrat, I’ve been inside the room and been privy to some of this strategy,” Senator Tim Sheldon told KIRO Radio’s Jason Rantz.

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The 105-day legislative session ended Friday. It was scheduled to end Sunday.

Sheldon (D-Potlatch) would have preferred lawmakers worked straight through the weekend and into Monday.

“I would prefer we would end Sunday night and start the special session at 12:01 the next day,” he told Rantz.

The special session is scheduled to begin April 29, but Governor Jay Inslee wants budget negotiators to get a head start on April 27. Once the special session begins, lawmakers have 30 days to finish their work.

Lawmakers are tasked with crafting a $38 billion operating budget while keeping in mind the obligations of the McCleary decision. McCleary, mandated by the Supreme Court, directs the state to fully fund basic education.

But was a special session necessary, Rantz asked Sheldon.

The Republican-controlled Senate crafted a plan and has the revenue to implement it, Sheldon said. The Democratic-controlled House has a plan, but no way to implement it, he added.

The Senate wanted House Democrats to vote on the tax increases needed for their budget. Without the tax increases, the House’s plan was not balanced. The House argued that Senate Republicans would not vote on tax proposals from the House.

Democrats have an advantage over Republicans, Sheldon said. King County has one-third of the Legislature, many of whom are Democrats, he added. That makes it easy extend the legislative session and make the trek down to Olympia.

“It’s very easy to come to Olympia,” he said. People living in Eastern Washington have to fly or drive for hours, leaving behind family.

Legislators must approve the two-year operating budget. Without one, the state can’t spend money on salaries and programs after June 30.

“It’s hard to sit down with someone that doesn’t have a balanced budget like we do and work in good faith toward a compromise,” Sheldon told Rantz.

“We can get this done if people are serious on both sides.”

During the special session, lawmakers will likely continue talks over a transportation package as well. In March, the Senate approved a $15 billion package that includes an incremental gas tax increase of 11.7 cents over the next three years. The proposal includes more than $8 billion for road projects across the state.

Washington passed a 2005 deal to build a lengthy list of roads, bridges and transit projects with $7 billion in new revenues, principally a 9.5-cent gas tax. The Legislature failed in each of the last two years to pass a follow-up plan.

Lawmakers don’t face the same mandate to get a transportation deal done that the Supreme Court’s contempt order puts behind education spending, but leaders have spoken of the urgency of passing a transportation package.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.