Spin Control: Same old budget battle story

OLYMPIA – The Legislature returns to town Monday in search of a compromise on a two-year operating budget that keeps the state in the black, uses relatively few accounting gimmicks, may or may not raise taxes and doesn’t get them hauled into court on a case they can’t win.

If those lines give you a sense of déjà vu, it’s probably because the same thing could have been written about the start of every regular session and special session since 2010.

A Google search would likely show it has been written by someone each of the last four years. Probably at least once by me.

Starting in 2010, every regular session has required at least one special session to finish work on the budget. (Some careful readers might note that was when I started covering the Legislature full time in Olympia and wonder if the two are connected. Probably not, but don’t give legislators any ideas. Bad ju-ju from the press might be too handy an excuse for some to pass up.)

Some years they go directly from the regular session into the special session, or take just a few days off for Easter or some other holiday that coincides with end of their allotted time. This year, Gov. Jay Inslee called a two-week break before going into overtime, sending most of them back to their districts to spend time with their families and, in a few cases, raise money for this year’s campaigns. While most don’t have to worry about re-election this year, a few have dreams of another office, like Senate Democratic Leader Ed Murray, who’d like to be mayor of Seattle. A few others, like Sen. John Smith in the 7th Legislative District, were just appointed to a vacancy that developed late last year, so they have to win the seat in a special election this year.

Not everyone was sent home for the duration, however. Leaders of the budget committees and their staffs were searching for a compromise that could be presented to the caucuses or sent to a hearing soon after other legislators return. At the end of last week, Inslee was doing his best to remain optimistic without overpromising.

Negotiators were making progress on a budget compromise, Inslee said, but not enough that he could say with any certainty the Legislature will be working full-time from the get-go Monday. He expects negotiators from both parties and both chambers will “start making the hard compromises necessary,” and legislators could have a few other issues, like getting tougher on repeat drunken drivers, to occupy their early days back.

Compromises are a given, considering the operating budgets passed by the Senate and House are more than $1 billion apart in terms of total spending, and the House budget calls for ending or shrinking some tax exemptions that the Senate does not.

Inslee included himself among the folks who will have to compromise although he didn’t suggest what his compromises might be, which would be akin to a poker player turning up his hole cards before going all-in during a game of Texas Hold ’em.

When the Legislature adjourned April 28, Inslee described the sides as “light years apart.” Other than to say they were making progress Friday, he said he couldn’t elaborate: “We’ve agreed not to talk about negotiations.”

Perhaps, as colleague Jerry Cornfield of the Everett Herald suggested later, they’re approaching a point where they’re at least in the same solar system.

But don’t expect the space ships to land any time soon.

Would-be candidates, take note

People thinking about running for local council or district offices need to make a decision pretty quick. Filing week starts Monday morning.

On the ballot this year are council seats in cities and towns throughout Washington as well as many mayoral slots. The City of Spokane has three openings – one for each council district – and the city of Spokane Valley has four at-large council seats on this year’s ballot. 

Neither of those cities have a mayor’s race – Spokane’s isn’t until 2015 and Spokane Valley’s mayor is chosen from the council – but Cheney, Deer Park, Fairfield, Latah, Medical Lake, Millwood and Rockford are all electing mayors this year.

Many school districts, fire districts, water districts and cemetery districts also have positions on the ballot.

Most races are nonpartisan, but the race for the Senate in Eastern Washington’s 7th Legislative District is partisan.

Tick tock. Time to pitch or get off the mound.