Mike Salsbury/The Olympian
Sen. Lisa Brown, D-Spokane, chairwoman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, shows the toll Wednesday that the final days of the session take on legislators.

End of session full of fury and ennui

PATRICK CONDON, THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published Thursday, March 14, 2002

OLYMPIA -- Bored lawmakers sat at their desks, playing computer games. Scores of lobbyists hovered outside the chambers, chatting on cellphones.

Gov. Gary Locke bounced back and forth between the House and Senate, personally lobbying legislators on his favored bills.

That's right, folks: The legislative session is winding down.

As is always the case, the days before sine die, a Latin term used to mark final adjournment, are characterized by long stretches of malaise, occasionally punctured by bursts of activity.

Adding another layer of suspense, no one seemed quite sure Wednesday if lawmakers would be able to finish their work in time for the scheduled adjournment at midnight today, or if any of the still-unresolved issues could blow up and force a special session.

"We hope to be on budget and on time," said Sen. Erik Poulsen, D-Seattle.

"There's no way they can finish on time at this point," ventured House Minority Leader Clyde Ballard.

Transportation negotiators were desperately working to settle the longstanding dispute between the House and the Senate over how to raise the gas tax. Will it be a direct vote of the Legislature? Or by a vote of the people? No one had agreed.

Meanwhile, Democratic backers of a plan to stimulate the economy with state building projects were still trying to round up the Republican votes needed to approve the construction bonds. Anti-terrorism laws, how to pay for a new Tacoma Narrows Bridge and cost controls for state-paid prescription drugs were also still up in the air.

Most of these talks are taking place behind closed doors, between the top Democrats in the House and Senate. Republicans, and rank-and-file Democrats, were mostly left twiddling their thumbs. At one point Wednesday afternoon, Rep. Richard DeBolt, R-Chehalis, reclined on one of the plush leather couches in the House chamber, offering pistachio nuts to passers-by.

Republicans watched, bemused, as the Democrats suffered the agony that comes with calling the shots in both chambers.

"This is Children's Hour," said Sen. Dan McDonald, R-Bellevue. "It's the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen."

The only thing certain from hour to hour was that everyone was tired, thanks to the tense negotiations and late nights -- the House worked until 1 a.m. Wednesday morning.

Said Liz Mendizabal, the press secretary for House Democrats: "Everybody's crabby."

On the Web:

- 2002 Supplemental Operating Budget Proposals
House Proposed (03/13/02)

- Washington State Legislature

- Washington State Treasurer

- Gov. Gary Locke

Sound Off at TheOlympian.com: How do we weather Washington state's budget crisis?

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