Oregon Public Broadcasting

Washington lawmakers have returned to Olympia for what they hope is a one-week special session. The legislature reconvened at noon Monday to resume negotiations on a compromise budget and tax package. But lawmakers got off to a slow start.In the Senate, the first order of business was to suspend some rules in order to speed-up the bill passing process. Even Minority Republicans went along with that. Senate Minority Leader Mike Hewitt said, "We're down here after regular session at a cost of about $20,000 per day so we don't plan on being an obstructionist.”On day one, the Senate also re-passed its budget which makes about $800-million in cuts. That step was required to get the budget back in play for the special session. After the vote, Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown outlined the challenge facing Democrats. “Fifty representatives and 25 senators, and of course the governor, have to agree on everything – every line in the budget, every number in the revenue package," she said.And that takes time says Brown. Majority Democrats hope to nail down a budget and tax plan within seven days. But they've got some major hurdles to clear including whether to impose a temporary sales tax increase.