OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — With less than two weeks left in the legislative session, budget negotiations between House Democrats and Senate Republicans have hit a snag.
House Democrats said Wednesday that they were given an ultimatum to pass tax bills related to their budget proposal before negotiations could move forth; the Republicans' Senate budget writer said that he made an offer to consider a smaller amount of revenue as a starting point for negotiations, but that Democrats refused, and only then did he tell them they'd need to pass their revenue bills before talks could continue.
Lawmakers this year are tasked with writing a new two-year operating budget for the state under the shadow of a Supreme Court -ordered requirement to put additional money toward the state's education system.
Both sides say they're willing to negotiate but are accusing each other of trying to push the Legislature into a special session after the current 105-day session ends April 26.