Oregon Public Broadcasting

Monday begins week two of Washington's special legislative session. And still no sign of a go-home deal between the House and Senate. Majority Democrats remain hung up over whether to enact a temporary sales tax increase.On Friday, Senate Democrats passed a concession to the House. In a revised tax plan, they lowered their sales tax increase from three-tenths of a penny to two-tenths. A hundred million dollar difference. On Saturday, House Democrats responded by passing their own nearly $800 million tax plan. It does not include a sales tax. Instead it would raise $200 million by increasing the Business and Occupation tax on professional services like lawyers and accountants. House Finance Chair Ross Hunter led the debate. “This is a proposal from the governor to try and be a center point between where the House has been and where that other body has been and I think it's an honest attempt to broker our differences and I'm happy to push it forward and see can we get there," he said.But so far no one's budging. The House doesn't have enough votes for a sales tax hike and the Senate can't muster the votes for the House's no-sales-tax approach. Minority Republicans continue to blast Democrats for going into a special session and trying to raise taxes in a down economy. Meanwhile another issue is riling people up in Olympia. It's a proposed increase in Washington's voter-approved hazardous substances tax. Last week refinery workers in blue jumpsuits descended on the Capitol to make their opposition known. Environmentalists and local governments are pushing hard for the tax increase because the money raised would go to storm water clean-up.