Despite the outrage expressed by Republican legislators, no one was actually surprised to see their Democratic colleagues gutting Initiative 960 this week.

Long before the legislative session started in January, the majority party had telegraphed its intent to suspend the part of the initiative that requires a two-thirds majority of the Legislature to raise taxes.

It looks like the Democrats will go even further, suspending the entire initiative, including the public reporting provisions.

That adds insult to injury, but the people's will was thwarted as soon as the Democratic leadership decided not to bother even paying lip service to I-960.

We recommended voters reject this particular anti-tax package from initiative king Tim Eyman when it was on the ballot two years ago.

The intent - to make it tougher for lawmakers to raise taxes and ensure that they're more accountable when they do - was laudable.

We just didn't think the initiative was a good vehicle for accomplishing those goals. The restrictions placed on state government's ability to alter fees and taxes are overly broad.

But the public has been clear about its desire to restrain the Legislature's ability to raise revenues. Voters have approved the two-thirds requirement three times since 1993, and it's a cinch they'll do it again in response to the Democrats' actions this week.

A two-thirds vote in the Legislature isn't the only means of increasing state revenues allowed under I-960. Raises in taxes can also be approved by a vote of the people.

Both are high hurdles, but that's the way the public wants it.

Either way - attracting enough bipartisan support in the Legislature for a two-thirds vote or getting tax-weary voters to approve an increase - requires Democrats to make a convincing case.

That would be difficult, of course, but not impossible.

Senate Republican Leader Mike Hewitt told us before the session that cuts alone might not make up for the $2.6 billion deficit, and he wasn't ruling out support for increased revenues to balance the budget.

And as recently as Tuesday, voters in school districts across the state proved that they're willing to support school tax levies - even in these tough times - if the need is clear.

But broad support depends first on putting every potential cost-saving measure on the table and reducing state spending as much as possible. Then lawmakers would still need to demonstrate that any additional revenues would pay for programs worthy of the sacrifices required from the taxpayers. By tossing out I-960, Democrats don't have to take either step. Why bother? They already have the votes to push whatever they want through the Legislature.

It's the path of least resistance, but the result isn't likely to move the state's recurring budget problems any closer to a long-term fix. Any budget capable of garnering broad support would surely do a better job of balancing conflicting interests.

To Democrats, suspending I-960 may look like dodging a bullet. From here, it looks like missed opportunity.