OLYMPIA -- A coalition of health care, education, environment and poverty groups is coming out in favor of the still-to-be-made-public tax proposal.

Based on news accounts of the package, the Rebuilding our Economic Future Coalition says the reported combination of taxes on soda, beer, bottled water, sweets and cigarettes is a "reasonable approach to protectiong our economy and our quality of life". They are urging legislators to buck up and "finish the job by passing this compromise proposal."

There is no final compromise proposal at this point, although Senate sources say they expect an announcement sometime Thursday afternoon. House sources are hedging a bit more, saying nothing yet.

One consideration for the Democratic leaders' calculus: If they are counting on any yes votes from the handful of Democrats in Eastern Washington, they'll have to give those legislators plenty of notice. It's snowing in the passes, and travel at times is a bit nasty.

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