Sen. David Frockt and Rep. Larry Springer said Thursday that lawmakers are making progress toward balancing the state budget, despite charges from critics that they've been distracted by other issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage.
Most of the work is occurring behind closed doors at this stage of the 60-day session. But the legislators told AWB's weekly Lobby Lunch meeting that budget writers in both the House and Senate are hard at work.
"Not to be flip, but we actually work on a lot of things," said Springer, D-Kirkland. "We're all segmented. I think it's a misplaced concern to worry about that. Whether we are making significant progress on the budget sort of depends on who you ask, but I can tell you it's not for lack of trying."
Producing the budget will be especially hard this year because all the cutting in previous years leaves lawmakers with no easy choices, Springer said. Even so, the House is committed to producing a balanced budget that does not anticipate any new revenue, he said.
In other words, they won't make cuts with the expectation that programs will be restored later through a voter-approved sales tax hike, as Gov. Chris Gregoire has proposed, or some other plan that emerges from the Legislature.
"You have to assume that a revenue package will not pass," Springer said.
Springer began his remarks by noting that he spoke to the Association of Washington Cities the day before. The health of local governments and the business community are intertwined, he said.
Lawmakers are looking for ways to lessen the burden on local governments, such as consolidating the vast array of junior taxing districts. "Hopefully that will translate into a better environment" for the business community, he said.
Springer highlighted a few other issues important to business, including stormwater permits. Lawmakers are looking at ways to make them more efficient, he said. And he praised Rep. Dave Upthegrove, D-Des Moinse, for making it his "personal mission" to make changes to the renewable energy law that resulted from Initiative 937.
"Right now, there are things in the new bill that everybody will hate," he said regarding I-937 changes. "That's where you start."
Frockt, who moved from the House to the Senate following the death of Sen. Scott White last fall, said he is still getting his feet wet in his new job. But he said the Senate Democratic Caucus's agenda includes a strong emphasis on developing a sustainable budget over the long run, something that AWB and other business groups have been advocating for years.
Regarding education, Frockt said he is hopeful the Supreme Court ruling in the McCleary v. State of Washington case will force some kind of "grand bargain" that will finally straighten out K-12 funding.
Cuts in education funding have taken a big toll on schools, he said, noting that a grief counselor had to be called in from a high school after White's death because the elementary school his son attends did not have a counselor of its own.
Higher education cuts will be unavoidable, Frockt said, but his caucus will look for ways to mitigate them. There is a strong interest, he said, in science, technology, engineering and math -- or STEM -- programs, highlighting another area of importance to the business community.
One bright spot regarding budget talks: Springer said he has observed more coordination between the House and Senate and Republicans and Democrats than usual this year, something he hopes will carry over into cooperation.
Also, Springer sought to reassure observers about the length of the legislative. When asked whether it was really a 60-day session, he replied "Of course it's a 60-day session."
He didn't rule out a special session to follow, however.
AWB's Lobby Lunch series continues next Thursday with invited guests Sen. Mike Hewitt, R-Walla Walla, and Rep. Richard DeBolt, R-Chehalis.
