Sen. Jim Hargrove shows charts that indicate where state government has reduced spending on some social programs.

OLYMPIA -- Senate Democrats don't know yet whether they will accept an offer to lead six legislative committees in the coming session, Sen. Jim Hargrove said today.

The Hoquiam Democrat, who is the chamber's longest serving legislator, said they'll  meet next week to discuss their options. But Hargrove said the coalition of 23 Republican and two Democrats who formed a coalition majority with a plan to run the Senate is not really offering to share power by letting Democrats run six committees and be co-chairmen of three others.

"It's not a power-sharing offer. It's a structural offer," Hargrove said.

Whether it results in more bipartisan cooperation isn't clear, he added. "Our expectation was that everything was going to have to be bipartisan."

Part of that strategy for Democrats was appointing Hargrove, one of the most conservative Democrats in the Senate to be chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, which is arguably the most powerful committee becaue it handles the budget. But that was last month, when it looked as though they had a 26-23 majority. After Democrats Rodney Tom of Bellevue and Tim Sheldon of Potlach decided to form a new majority with the 23 Republicans, that group named Sen. Andy Hill, R-Redmond, to head that committee.

Democrats will meet next week to discuss possible reassignments.

"That's all up for discussion, but as of this point I think I'm the minority leader (of Ways and Means)" Hargrove said.

Regardless of who is in charge of the committee, it was almost certain to write a budget without a tax increase while looking for options to cut government spending, he said: "It's pretty clear that the public is not interested in any more taxes." 

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