With the support of three key Democrats who share similar\u00a0 views on the budget, Republicans wielded a little-used procedural tactic to maneuver into control of Senate budget proceedings on Friday in Olympia.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
A Republican budget plan, couched in an amendment to a base Democratic proposal, was approved by the Senate, 25-24 early Saturday morning after some eight hours of debate.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Three Democrats, Sens. Tim Sheldon (35th, Potlach), Rodney Tom (48th, Medina) and Jim Kastama (25th, Puyallup) sided with Republicans, giving them the 25 votes and majority necessary to invoke what is called the \u201cNinth Order of Business.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The procedural ploy allowed them to bring the governor\u2019s budget proposal that was before the Way and Means Committee, directly to the floor and to propose a striking amendment that contains Ritzville Republican Sen. Joseph Zarelli\u2019s budget.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you put the votes together, you act,\u201d said Zarelli, whose 234-page budget proposal had never been seen by the Democrats or to have a public hearing.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cThe mistake that was made was not giving the other side the courtesy of being able to go at ease, go to caucus, and have an opportunity to review the legislation and offer amendments to it,\u201d said Brad Owen, Lieutenant Governor and President of the Senate. \u201cWhen you take that position, it\u2019s almost a bullying position,\u201d he said from the rostrum.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Zarelli called his Republican budget proposal a message \u201cof strength, understanding of the times, and budget sustainability,\u201d he said, based upon the principles of not spending more money than revenue coming in and staying away from what he described as \u201cgimmicks\u201d such as the $330 million deferred payment to school districts that the Senate Democrats had used in their budget proposal announced on Feb. 28.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Sheldon said his switch had nothing to do with political affiliation, and everything to do with representing his constituents and providing a sustainable budget for the state.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously the $330 million payment forward that would go on next year\u2019s biennium, that\u2019s the big issue,\u201d he said. \u201cI consider it a gimmick, a trick, false accounting. I\u2019m a business-person too and I see the benefit of revenues and expenses being equal.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Sen. Ed Murray (D-43rd, Seattle), chairman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, said he thought that he was going to work with Senator Zarelli to put out a bi-partisan budget similar to 2011.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
“They didn\u2019t negotiate in good faith,\u201d he said of his Republican counterparts, \u201cand I\u2019m deeply disappointed because I thought we had an agreement.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The senator showed reporters a text-message conversation from earlier in the week from a number he said belonged to Zarelli in which Zarelli said he had no plans to put out his own budget, \u201conly continuing to refine the options provided up to this point,\u201d Zarelli wrote.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Zarelli said that he had been waiting for Murray to make an acceptable proposal, but it never came.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cAt least the Senate has done something this session [now]. At this point, we hadn\u2019t done anything, we weren\u2019t poised to do anything,\u201d he said, referring to the Democratic budget, for which Murray admitted he didn\u2019t have the necessary 25 votes to pass.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Camino Island Senator Mary Margaret Haugen, who has served in the Senate since 1993, called the Republican tactic \u201cdeplorable,\u201d saying it reminded her of the partisanship within the U.S. Congress.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
She said it virtually guaranteed that the Legislature would not have a budget by the March 8 deadline, forcing it into special session.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Republican floor leader Sen. Mark Schoesler (R-9th, Ritzville) then invoked what is known as the \u201cNinth Order of Business,\u201d which allowed the Governor\u2019s budget to be directly brought up for floor debate.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
News bureau reporter Maida Suljevic contributed to this story.<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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