Article by WashingtonStateWire. Published on Friday, September 09, 2011 EST.
Zarelli’s Super Budget Committee Is The Best Idea In Town. No Heads Up To Murray Is A Wrong First Step For A Correct Idea.
Senator Murray and Senator Zarelli are correct. As reported in various clips and blogs, Zarelli suggests a bipartisan super budget committee to get started now. It would have been nice if the bipartisan part had included the D’s Ways and Means chair with a heads-up call.
Dr. Z’s (that’s what we affectionately called him when I was working around the Capitol) plan is to let each caucus chair pick two legislators for the committee; one of their own, one of the other party. That is a splendid idea. And, suggesting that they start now so the D’s won’t have to go extra innings facing the 2012 elections should please them too.
We mentioned in an earlier post that if the two parties can get together and agree on some path out of yet another multi-billion dollar hole in the budget, there would be no need to repeal the citizen four-time-enforced two-thirds vote for new revenue. This could be the bus.
Senator Murray’s (we didn’t have a nick name for Murray when I was working around the capitol) objection, as reported in Publicola, was that he should have been given a heads-up. Good point. Otherwise he says the move reeks of posturing.
Murray further illustrated the fundamental departure from balance in Z’s plan, pointing out the R’s could appoint a like-minded D like Tim Sheldon. Since the plan calls for all members of the super-committee to be members of the Legislature’s fiscal committees, this concern won’t float. Unless the website is incorrect or he was just been appointed (and I doubt that), Sheldon does not serve on the Senate Ways and Means Committee. The website could be wrong. And the D’s could appoint a left-leaning R senator like…like…give me a minute.
Anyway, they are both correct, and we know they can work together. They did earlier this year. How refreshing that in the heat of a sleepy September Friday, a week from the daunting revenue forecast for the quarter, our legislative leaders are at least talking about a fix.
Let’s give them all the benefit of the doubt. And keep the main thing the main thing. This isn’t about heads-up protocols, one-sided press releases and personalities. In the end it’s about health care services, children and safety nets. There probably are no more federal handouts. This one will be ours to fix.
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