Not-So-Special Session Enters Week Four in Olympia

By Tom Banse | April 5, 2010 6 a.m. | Updated: June 16, 2010 11:56 p.m. | Olympia, WA

The Washington Legislature is inching closer – ever so slowly - to a deal on balancing the state budget. Monday marks the start of week four of what was originally billed as a one week overtime session. Majority Democrats in Olympia are hoping this is the week they cut the deal to get out of town. The major sticking point remains the same, what taxes to raise to close the last bit of a multi-billion dollar budget gap. State House majority leader Lynn Kessler (D-Hoquiam) declined to specify what ideas for temporary or targeted taxes are on the menu today.“Some are recycled. Some are brand new. Some can be well-received, some not so well received. So there are all kinds of ideas back on the table, new things being looked at," she said.Kessler said lawmakers are tired and hope to wrap up the overtime session by this coming weekend. Republicans who are in the minority issued fresh criticism of the time and public money being wasted in their view by an internal tax squabble. The Washington State Republican Party favors an all-cuts budget that would not raise any taxes.

© 2010 Northwest News Network

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