OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Despite a budget crisis and a governor anxious for action, state lawmakers are showing no signs that the emergency is translating into urgency.
Gov. Chris Gregoire has asked that cuts be finished by Christmas, but top budget writers are already saying they likely won’t complete their work until sometime in the new year. There was no public progress towards a budget agreement this week.
Democratic Sen. Ed Murray of Seattle said the 30-day special session will help lawmakers finalize the budget earlier in the regular session. He noted that negotiators have been in daily meetings, going line-by-line through the spending. He didn’t see how it was possible to lawmakers to rush through and finish their work in December.
The state has a $1.4 billion shortfall.
