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Senators put own money on line in sales tax bill

• Published March 06, 2010

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The state Senate voted today to disallow lawmakers' own expense allowances after June 2013 — if for some reason Democrats' proposed temporary sales tax increase does not go away as scheduled by mid-2013.

The amendment, which Republican Sen. Joe Zarelli of Ridgefield sponsored, passed on a simple voice vote, and Democratic Sen. Rodney Tom of Medina said his majority party agreed. But it may end up as just a formality — if the Senate Democrats and House Democrats don't ultimately agree that a temporary three-tenths of 1 percent sales tax is part of the answer to closing a $2.8 billion shortfall.

The House firmly opposes it. Gov. Chris Gregoire doesn't much like it either.

Speaking of disagreements, the mini-accord on expenses or "per diem" was one of just a few points of agreement today as Democrats and Republicans sparred in the Senate on a raft of amendments to the majority Democrats' $890 million package of tax increases.

Senate Democrats rejected several Republican amendments. They would have sent Senate Bill 6143 to a vote of the people in November or lopped elements that close tax exemptions.

Included was feisty talk on both sides of the $10 million exemption that the TransAlta power-generation company received in the 1990s for the use of locally mined coal in its Centralia-area electrical plant. The Canadian company shut down its mine and began importing coal from Montana and other western states a few years ago, which threw hundreds of workers out of jobs, and Democrats say removal of the tax credit will hasten TransAlta's transition to cleaner natural gas fuels.

Republicans say repeal of the exemption will kill jobs.

The GOP lost every argument it made, except Zarelli's amendment on lawmakers' $90 a day "per diem" expenses while in session.

And the Senate quickly adjourned around 3:50 p.m., apparently lacking votes to pass the package unless all of their members were present. One key vote absent today was Sen. Paull Shin of Edmonds, who was attending a funeral. Other key Democrats such as Sen. Rodney Tom, the No. 2 budget-writer, voted against the tax package in committee on Friday evening, and it is unclear how much margin of error Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown has on the tax issue.