Moderator: Welcome to Capitol chat. Today's guest is House Speaker Frank Chopp, a Democrat in the 43rd Legislative District. The area takes in downtown Seattle and city neighborhoods to the north and east from Fremont to Wallingford, the University District, Capitol Hill and Madison Park. Chopp grew up in Bremerton, and now lives with his wife Nancy Long in Wallingford district; they have two children. Chopp is in his sixth term in the Legislature, first getting elected in 1994 and moving up to speaker in 1999.

He also serves as president of the Fremont Public Association, a social-services agency. Welcome, Mr. Speaker. Your Legislature adjourned on schedule for the first time in an odd-numbered year since Republicans held control in 1997. How dicey was it near the end with the transportation package crumbling Saturday afternoon and remaining in doubt Sunday morning?

Chopp: Well, we were setting a high priority to be finished on time with the Legislative session and the delay at the end for the transportation package was mainly to line up votes. The package itself was pretty organized prior to that time.

Moderator: Any concern you were going into overtime?

Chopp: Yes, there was, there was concern about whether we'd get the votes or needed support for a different package.

Moderator: Who would you credit for making a difference in getting the transportation agreement through?

Chopp: Well, a lot of people can share the credit, included the governor, Rep. Ed Murray and Rep. Mary-Margaret Haugen.

Denny, Chimicum: With this busy session, have you had any time to follow the gubernatorial election contest? Do you have any concerns or second thoughts about certifying this election after some of the revelations from Dean Logan's deposition and the problems revealed in the King County certification?

Chopp: Well, the Legislature did its role by announcing the results. It was more of a clerical role, really, because we're just supposed to announce the results given to us by the Secretary of State.

Wade, Olympia: Can you please explain to us why meaningful election reforms were not implemented by the legislature this session? Specifically, why is it that in this state you must show ID to rent a movie but not cast a ballot? Why isn't every ballot required to be accounted to a voter in the reconciliation of the canvass and the election?

Chopp: Well, actually, there's a couple of requirements for ID that were put into the Legislation that we passed -- I'm not sure of the exact details, but I know we require ID if we vote at the polls. And secondly, the major reform I'm disappointed we didn't enact was moving the primary date a month earlier. I think we relied on Secretary of State Sam Reed to address the reconciliation concerns.

Jason, Edmonds: Why did the Legislature approve higher taxes -- contrary to the initiative passed by the voters in 1993 -- when there clearly could have been cuts in order to meet the budget?

Chopp: The revenue that we raised was to reinstate the estate tax, and that was mainly due to a court case that threw that out. Basically the amount we raised was less than the amount we've lost since January of this year.

There have beens hundreds of millions of cuts in the past several years, including hundreds of people off of the Basic Health Plan. The amount of revenue raised is very modest compared with the cuts of the past several years.

Nick, Olympia: Can you please explain to me why spending went up 12 percent when maintaining previous spending levels only required 7 percent? Also, why did the funding for both the Governor's office and Lt. Gov's office increase as well?? It doesn't seem like much was cut in state government.

Chopp: In large part, the Rossi budget adopted two years ago avoided costs that needed to be handled -- for example, Initiative 728 to lower classroom sizes, also Initiative 732 to raise teacher salaries. Both were deferred. That alone totalled up to $290 million, I think. In addition there were other costs that were avoided.

The truth of the matter was that the Rossi budget was avoiding a lot of concerns and was basically unsustainable. We addressed that by raising a modest level of new revenue.

The lieutenant governor is an independently elected statewide office and we tend to defer to their decisions on what they need to carry out their jobs. Brad Owen has been much more active in economic development and other issues than previous lieutenant governors.

Moderator: What effort was made to cut programs deemed ineffective, or to reduce unnecessary government costs?

Chopp: Let me give you two examples. One was to cut the program called job search and job coach. We think we could be cutting it further. There was also 18 million in savings in general assistance to the unemployable because of a number of things we directed the department to do. For instance, we told them to help disabled people get onto the federal SSI program.

Lary, Port Orchard: Do you think it's fair that the new gas tax imposes double transportation taxation on residents of the Kitsap Peninsula in the form of a higher gas tax as well as a toll for the Narrows Bridge, while King County residents will get the viaduct, 520 Bridge and 405 improvements with no tolls? Wouldn't a better solution have been to toll the other projects to pay their full cost, or to share the revenue from the tax equally so all projects, including the Narrows Bridge, are paid for and/or tolled uniformly?

Chopp: I want to declare for the record, the projects in King County, many of them in the future will be tolled. For example, the Washington Floating Bridge, the 520 bridge definitely will be tolled. The Tacoma Narrows bridge is definitely up there int terms of its tolls. That will save close to a billion in interest charges over the years. In addition, we need to continue to pursue state funding for the bridge so the tolls will be lower.

Moderator: Any idea how to do that?

Chopp: One idea we had but did not pass was to exempt the construction of the bridge from the state sales tax. That would save close to a hundred million over the course of the bonds.

Bud, Shelton: Where are the road taxes from trucking companies going? The tax package you just saddled us with will raise the cost of groceries and just about everything else, and I know from experience that trucks have to pay $5.00 to get back into Washington.

Chopp: Those monies go into the transportation projects that are already being constructed. I think we increased the truck weight fees this session, which went to current construction. Part of the fees may also go to commercial mobility projects, railroads and other projects that make shipping more efficient.

Greg, Schroeder: How can you possibly state that you are representing the majority in this state with a 12 percent increase in spending, the overturn of voter-approved Initiative 601, and the use of the word "emergency" in all of your spending to eliminate the possibility of referendum? I'll do most of my shopping across the border now.

Chopp: Initiative 728 passed with 68 percent of the vote, and that mandates more spending for schools. 732 passed with over 60 percent and that mandated cost-of-living increases for teachers. I 601 barely passed with over 50 percent of the vote several years ago, so we're doing our best to carry out the will of the people.

Moderator: Are you hearing that question often since the session regarding 601?

Chopp: We instituted a real spending limit, as opposed to the 601 spending limits which had been taken apart piece by piece over the past 10 years.

Michele, Sammamish: The gas tax was sold as a "roads" tax; yet the King County Journal mentioned that it covers "transit" and "rail". Why transit? And why, when Sound Transit has its own funding source, should it get any of this money?

Chopp: I don't believe that Sound Transit's getting any of the money, but in order to move more people more quickly, transit needs to be part of the improvements. But the bulk of the money will go for road projects, and particulalrly safety projects -- the viaduct and Interstate 90 east of the mountains.

Steve, Tumwater: There is already a campaign to start an initiative to overturn the 9 1/2-cent gas tax. Based on history this probably will pass (at least I hope so). What will be your plan if this tax money is eliminated from the transportation budget? And also, if this initiative does pass, will you finally get the point that Washington residents don't want their taxes raised?

Chopp: Well, I would ask what would we do about the Alaskan Way Viaduct, which is about ready to collapse, which carries about 100,000 people a day, and if that collapsed, along with the loss of life, that would have a huge effect on the economy, so we've got to find some kind of solution for that.

Moderator: Tax increases by a Democratic Legislature in 1993 cost Democrats their control of the Legislature. What level of risk does your majority face this time, given some of the anger expressed already about the gas tax increase?

Chopp: This is definitely a different year in many ways, one of which is that the level of taxes we raised was much much less than in 1993-1994, and also we didn't have any broad increaseon property, business or sales taxes. We did pass several more targeted taxes that mostly affect the very wealthy and smokers.

Moderator: Some legislators are already hearing from voters about the four-step gas tax increase that totals 9.5 cents per gallon. What feedback are you getting?

Chopp: Obviously there are some people upset about it. We're going to monitor that very very closely. People have a right to initiatives.

Josef, Sedro-Wooley: I'm a Dinocrat higher ed student and the elder brother of hopefully another in this great state. How do you defend increasing tuition rates this session?

Chopp: Well, if you want access to higher education, you have to fund an increase in enrollment slots. We did increase the allowed eligibility for financial aid for the median family income from 55 percent to 60 percent.

Michal, Lacey: Doesn't an $800,000 per year salary for the president of UW seem excessive? Wouldn't we be likely to get a quality president for less and spend the rest on teachers' salaries?

Chopp: Yes, I agree, it is excessive. I wish he would take a lower salary.

Moderator: Have you expressed that to the University?

Chopp: Yes, I have, and to the president himself. They said they would think about it, but that was some time ago.

Melissa, Seattle: My children attend Seattle Public Schools and at their particular schools, I am happy with the education they are getting. As you are probably well aware, our District is proposing to undergo many changes including closing some schools. We had a meeting last night with District officials sponsored by the Seattle Council of the PTSA. When Lisa Bond, Seattle Council President, was asked why the Legislature won't fully fund education, she said she was told repeatedly that we don't spend our money properly (i.e. we have more schools than children). Do you think if Seattle closes and consolidates schools, that this will change any minds in Olympia about education funding?

Chopp: Let me just set the record straight: The Legislature this session increased funding for education by fully funding Initiatives 728 and 732 and by increasing the funding for school construction to the highest level in history. So we have clearly stepped up funding for education, including in Seattle. I care very deeply about Seattle public schools because my daughter attends them.

Moderator: Does school consolidation help, in terms of public relations or otherwise?

Chopp: I think it helps in certain factors. For instance, the amount of funding Seattle gets for school construction is based on the square-footage of facilities it has in comparison with other districts.

Jan, Rochester: In regards to the transportation package, are there going to be tolls for every day users in the Seattle area, the same way Narrows Bridge users have to pay?

Chopp: Yes, in due time, particularly for the 520 bridge and probably for the 405 down the road. It could be (for express lanes), we passed a pilot project for that this session, for a study on a route in southern King County. The Lake Washington Bridge probably will have the same level of tolls as the Tacoma Narrows Bridge.

Moderator: Here's a very District 22 question for you: Diana of Olympia asks "How would you rate the performance of Rep. Brendan Williams in his first session?"

Chopp: (Laughs) Well, I have great admiration for each of our caucus members, including Brendan. For one thing he has legal training, and there's not a lot of people with that in the Legislature, so he was able to help us out on those issues. Overall Brendan did an excellent job and I look forward to working with him more in the future.

Moderator: What did you think of Gov. Gregoire's performance over the past three months and how it might play among traditional Democrats, as well as with the public at large?

Chopp: Well I've been very impressed with the new Governor for a number of reasons, including her own work (ethic). We've accomplished more in 100 days than the previous governor did in eight years.

Moderator: Was the unified Legislature the difference in those results? Gov. Locke worked with a divided Legislature for seven of his eight years.

Chopp: I think it was mainly the linking up of Democratic control of the House and the Senate, but we really enjoy working with Gov. Gregoire and she was able to affect a lot of issues. I think she has shown she can be a strong, decisive leader and I think almost all of the legislation passed this session has strong public support, including increased funding for education and children's health care and better protection for the environment.

I think she'll have to work to get the public to understand the gas tax. When we have crumbling bridges -- not just the viaduct and the 520 but throughout the state -- we hae a responsibility to fix those safety concerns, and I don't know what the alternative is other than to invest in projects. You can't sit around and do nothing when the Alaskan Way Viaduct could collapse or the 520 bridge could sink. You must act.

Moderator: Do you think we're in a new era after the great success for many years by Tim Eyman and others to cut taxes and revenue? Do you think taxpayers are maybe more willing topay what it costs to deliver government?

Chopp: Let me be clare, the revenue we raised for the operating budget was very modest and only reinstated what was lost since January of this year, and the things that we did tax, such as the estates of rich individuals and cigarettes, those sources are very popular with the public, particularly when they go to fund education initiatives 728 and 732. We feel we're very much taking a modest approach there that will carry out the will of the people.

Moderator: Looking ahead, do you think you have some unfinished business going into the next session?

Chopp: There's a list of four or five things we'd like the Legislature to pass next year, including simple majorities for school levies, the civil rights legislation, and a bill moving the date of the primary election. Those are three things the House passed this session that the Senate didn't and we hope they reconsider next year.

Moderator: All right, Rep. Chopp, thanks for taking so much time with us today. Our next Capitol Chat will be Friday afternoon, when we get an opinion of the session from Senate minority leader Bill Finkbeiner, R-Kirkland.