Washington Business Fall 2016 | Legislative Review | Page 9

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“After last year’s triple overtime legislative session,
political observers anticipated lawmakers would do
everything in their power to avoid going into an extended
session this time around.
But those hopes were dashed when legislators failed
to agree on a supplemental budget before the March 10
deadline for the “short” 60-day session…
It never should have come to this.
Major policy and budget issues are supposed to be
hammered out every other year. The second year of a
budget cycle, which is this year, historically has been
intended for budget tweaks and necessary policy issues.
House Democrats, however, have decided to change
the purpose of the short session by trying to significantly
alter the budget that took nearly seven months to
negotiate last year.
In order to accomplish their goals, House Democrats
plan to raid state reserves and ignore the budget’s
four-year outlook requirement that lawmakers
approved in 2012.
The Senate and House Republicans are rightly appalled
at this blatant attempt to disregard fiscal safeguards that
were put in place to protect the future of state government
operations…
House Democrats may not like the four-year
outlook restriction, but they still must abide by it,
even if it means delaying certain expenditures until
next year. It is the law, after all.”
— The Tri-City Herald (6)

Sources: (1) “Gov. Inslee shows perplexing indifference to charter
schools,” April 4, 2016; (2) “Middle of the pack isn’t good enough,”
Feb. 26, 2016; (3) “What took so long for the Legislature to reach
a budget deal?” March 30, 2016; (4) “Legislature begins special
session with unfinished business,” March 11, 2016; (5) “’All of us
for the people,’” March 11, 2016; (6) “House Democrats need to
budget by the rules,” March 20, 2016.

special edition 2016

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