Oregon Public Broadcasting

The 2008 Washington legislature has reached its midpoint. Tuesday is day thirty of a sixty day session. Republicans – who are in the minority - have settled upon a theme for the session.

It’s that Democrats are “punting” on major issues because this is an election year. Olympia correspondent Austin Jenkins takes a closer look at the minority party’s partisan slings and legislative proposals.

Each week, Republican lawmakers issue a punt list. It highlights the issues the GOP believes majority Democrats are failing to tackle. At the top of the most recent list: healthcare reform.

Doug Erickson is the Deputy Republican House Leader. He says Washington families can’t afford to wait another year.

Doug Erickson: “2002 healthcare plan for my family cost $5000. This year plan for my family costs $12,000."

Democrats have promised to cover all Washingtonians by 2012. This year they’ll convene a citizens group to advise them on how to proceed. Another top item on the GOP punt list? Property tax reform. Republicans point out
that during last fall’s special session Democrats promised to come back in January and do something about rising property taxes.

They point specifically to this statement by State Senator Margarita Prentice, chair of the Senate budget committee.

Margarita Prentice: “I’m convening a group and we will come here January 14th ready to act on everything. And that’s my commitment to you.”

Now Democratic leaders say don’t expect major action on property taxes this session. That’s in part because any big reforms would likely require a constitutional amendment. But House Republican Leader Richard DeBolt isn’t willing to let Democrats off the hook.

Richard DeBolt: “I guess they know what sells and they just never solve the problem and they can keep themselves in office trying to solve the problem. And that’s the way it is.”

Democrats are proceeding cautiously this year. With the Governor, all House members and about half the Senators up for re-election, they don’t want to overreach or give Republicans ammunition for the campaign trail.
This is also a short legislative session – just 60 days – which doesn’t leave a lot of time to tackle big reforms. Democrats are quick to dismiss GOP criticisms.

Frank Chopp: “We have passed more legislation than any legislature in state history. We’ve tackled all sort of major significant issues.”

Speaker of the House Frank Chopp keeps his own list of legislative accomplishments over the past three years. It includes: doubling the budget for school building construction in Washington, taking steps to insure all children by 2010 and raising the gas tax to fund transportation projects. As for the GOP punt list, someone gave Chopp a copy and he’s eager to rebut what it says.

Frank Chopp: “One of the things that they said we punted on was about tolls. Well, I don’t know how more explicit we have to be. We’re going to toll 520.”

But Republicans say Democrats are punting by not telling voters how much the tolls will cost.

GOP lawmakers aren’t just firing partisan shots across the bow. They’re also introducing bills – lots of them. Most won’t pass, much less get a hearing. But here’s a sampling.

Republicans want to: give homeowners a $100,000 break on their property tax assessment, deport sex offenders who are here illegally and give teachers performance pay.

House Minority Leader DeBolt says Republicans are trying to work constructively with Democrats to get some of their bills into play.

Richard DeBolt: “We have some very good ideas and we have some very smart people in our caucus and so we want to do whatever we can to integrate them into the process.”

At the beginning of the session, DeBolt joked with the Speaker that for every two bills Democrats get passed, Republicans should get one. In the end he says his members will be lucky to pass ten percent of their bills.
That’s the tough reality of life in the political minority.