Eventually, the underlying House Bill 2058 passed on a 24-to-1 vote with two members absent this morning. Republican Rep. Bill Hinkle of Cle Elum cast the lone no vote.
We reported previously on the early action or down-payment-on-the-budget-gap bill here and here. It is headed to a House floor vote as soon as today and a similar bill could pass the Senate floor as soon as Wednesday.
Meantime, a few amendments from Democrats did get through – including Rep. Reuven Carlyle’s request to put back $37,000 for the Department of Health’s reporting annually on deaths associated with Initiative 1000’s aid-in-dying law.
Among the rejected amendments was Rep. Gary Alexander’s proposal to reduce outlays by a net $21.6 million more. The biggest single piece was a $16.5 million reduction in payments for the state or employer share of medical insurance costs in plans administered by the Public Employees Benefits Board.
That health-care change would have reduced the state contribution to $825 per month on average, down from $850, in 2013. It is exactly what Gov. Chris Gregoire proposed last month in her full 2011-13 supplemental budget plan, which remains fully in play for the regular legislative session that starts Jan. 9.
House Ways and Means Committee chairman Ross Hunter, D-Medina, has said the $480 million bill includes the easiest budget changes to agree on. Alexander favors what the bill does but said he was frustrated and disappointed that more of the $2 billion budget problem wasn’t solved after spending more than two weeks in special session.
Indeed, the larger and tougher job lies ahead in January, and Hunter has said he plans to work over the next several weeks to reach agreements. “I share many of your sentiments,” Hunter told Alexander.
Alexander’s list of cuts is listed here with committee documents. It also had $1.8 million in reduced allocations to state agencies for cell phone usage (answering a recent audit that found plenty of waste) and $633,000 less for the Public Employment Relations Commission through unfilled positions.
Also dying on the vine was Rep. Charles Ross’ proposal to cut $624,000 from the general fund and $2.94 million from other funds for the commute-trip reduction program. Ross, a Naches Republican, questioned payment of incentives for public employees to use carpools at a time healthcare and education programs are being cut.
Rep. J.T. Wilcox, R-Yelm, said, “If nearly $4 gas isn’t economic incentive enough, I doubt the program adds any economic benefit.’’
