Legislators went home early without hopes of avoiding a special session. They return on Wednesday to duke it out for another 30 days. Just a reminder: a special session means that all bills will return to their house of origin in the form they were voted out of that house. Will the special session give new life to bills that have a chance of passing? Or will they become pawns in the budget games? Stay tuned.
The issue of carbon pricing is rearing its ugly head. The Governor’s Cap and Trade bill, HB 1314, has undergone a major makeover. The Governor hopes to make this his signature legislation, either this session or through a ballot initiative. There is also a new proposed outline for the more politically palatable Carbon Reduction Investment bill. The original bill, SB 5735, was scheduled for a Work Session Wednesday morning at 8 AM in the Senate Energy, Environment, and Telecommunications Committee, but this has now been postponed.
Aside from the possibility of another tussle over the Governor’s pet project, the budget and the transportation package will be center stage. Republicans and Democrats are $800 million apart on their spending proposals, and they are about to face off on taxation.
As part of the education overhaul, the GOP wants to pass a property tax reform package — phasing up state property taxes while decreasing local property taxes. Democrats are opposed to the idea. They are fighting for a capital gains tax. Initially, they proposed a 5 percent capital gains tax on the state’s wealthiest 32,000 people, but a second proposal, which called for a higher tax on fewer individuals, emerged just before the end of regular session.
As for the transportation package: Again, the sides aren’t far apart on spending proposals, but they remain deeply divided on underlying policies. Republicans and Democrats are both pitching a gas tax raise, but a number of issues are tied up in the transportation negotiations, including the low-carbon fuel standard, education funding, and public transportation.
It’s going to be a special session indeed.
QUOTES:
“We’re not yelling at each other. We’re still talking. Both sides are like, ‘Hey, we can come to a compromise on something,’” said Senator Hobbs (D) regarding budget negotiations.
Sounding far more pessimistic about the state budget, Representative Ross Hunter (D) blurted out, “It’s a little Kafkaesque. It’s a little absurd.”
Senate Majority Leader Mark Schoesler layed out some of the issues that make the 2015-17 budget particularly difficult to nail down. He said, “The demands that the courts have placed on us on mental health and K-12 alone certainly make it a difficult drill.”
CALENDAR:
Governor Jay Inslee is scheduled to meet with leadership from the Senate and House prior to the special session on Wednesday.
On Tuesday the annual Workers’ Memorial Day ceremony will be held at 2 PM in the Department of Labor & Industries Tumwater headquarters auditorium. This somber event honors those who have died in the previous year from job-related injuries or illnesses. The service is followed by an outdoor gathering around the Worker Memorial Bell where relatives of the fallen workers are invited to chime the bronze bell.
Wednesday is the official start of special session. Bills are queued up for working sessions beginning at 8AM.
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