Oregon Public Broadcasting

Democrats have large majorities in the Washington legislature. But they’re having trouble figuring out how to fund a major new social program.

The program is Paid Family Leave for parents of newborn or newly adopted children. Olympia correspondent Austin Jenkins reports.

Paid Family Leave passed the legislature last year, but without a funding stream. A bipartisan taskforce was appointed to come up with a way to pay for the benefit.

A payroll tax is the most talked about option. But the taskforce couldn’t agree. And the Governor – who’s up for re-election - said any tax would have to go to a vote of the people.

So now it appears majority Democrats will delay a decision on funding until next year.

Republicans call it an election year punt. But Marilyn Watkins doesn’t see it that way. She’s with the Economic Opportunity Institute in Seattle, one of the architects of Paid Family Leave. Marilyn Watkins: “We know that taking anything to the ballot costs a lot of money and even the most popular things can be attacked.”

Democrats do plan to fund start-up costs for the program in this year’s budget.

The earliest parents would begin to receive 5 weeks of paid family leave would be in the fall of 2009.