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Session's biggest battle: Tackling a $9 billion shortfall

As legislators enter their final week of work, there are

By Brad Shannon | The Olympian • Published April 19, 2009

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OLYMPIA – State lawmakers enter their final week of session in Olympia on Monday with little to show for what has been a 98-day struggle to come to grips with a $9 billion budget shortfall.

When all is said and done, the Democrat-controlled House and Senate will have bridged that money gap with federal aid, cuts to programs, cuts of as many as 7,000 jobs in schools and government, and a number of new fees.

But with notable exceptions in the areas of an education-funding plan and rights for same-sex couples, they won't have big policy statements to brag about back home.

"I don't think it stands for anything other than timidity and inertia in the face of challenges," Democratic Rep. Brendan Williams of Olympia said with frustration Saturday as hopes for a tax referendum to blunt budget cuts appeared to unravel.

He said lawmakers have cowered at even the suggestion by business groups that legislation helping consumers or labor might harm Boeing or the business climate.

But Republicans are saying the Democrats' legacy will be one of mismanagement, future debt, state budget shortfalls and lost chances to improve the state business climate.

Against that backdrop, Sen. Karen Fraser, D-Thurston County, said a balanced budget that includes $4 billion in cuts to programs likely is the major achievement this year.

"I think, No. 1, shrinking state government by 15 to 20 percent is an enormous amount of work," Fraser said. "And if we do that, it's a sad achievement, but it's a giant achievement to do that. ... It's reprioritization on a massive scale."

"It's a sad fact that dominates everything here," Fraser said.

"We're going to have an education-funding bill, which I've been working on for seven years, a (state Route) 520 bridge, and a budget that blood drips out of," Rep. Ross Hunter, D-Medina, said dryly Saturday.

Marty Brown, legislative director for Gov. Chris Gregoire, agreed there is not a lot to show for efforts this year. But the state's budget challenges have limited everyone's vision, he said.