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OLYMPIA -- The state Senate voted 25-19 on Saturday to pass a supplemental operating budget that spends $71 million more than the budget rolled out days earlier.
"The goal of this budget is to move the process forward, to lead the state through very difficult times," Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown, D-Spokane, said during about an hour of floor debate.
"Over last year and this year, no one can say that significant reductions were not made in every single area of state government," Brown said. "No one can say that significant reforms were not made."
By passing the operating budget, the Senate only approved spending, not the tax increases that would raise more revenue.
Those will be approved in separate legislation that is yet to come to a vote in the quickly waning days of the session, leading Republicans to argue on the Senate floor that Democrats got the process backward.
"I've never seen anything quite like this," said Senate Minority Leader Mike Hewitt, R-Walla Walla. "They're passing a budget first, when they don't know if they'll even be able to pass the bills assumed in it. That's one bizarre and risky way to create a state budget. The public deserves a more open and straightforward process."
Sen. Joe Zarelli, R-Ridgefield, minority budget leader, said the budget couldn't be considered balanced without having first approved the revenues.
"Instead of focusing only on spending, let's see the other side of this balancing act, and find out who is going to pay how much for these things," Zarelli said.
The original version proposed Tuesday cut state government and programs by $838 million and anticipated $918 million in new revenues from a combination of new taxes and by eliminating existing tax credits.
Among the taxes proposed were an additional $1 per pack tax on cigarettes and a 0.3 percent increase in the general sales tax.
The version that came out of the Senate Ways & Means Committee late Friday night added back about $100 million in spending while finding nearly $30 million more in savings.
The net effect was to add $71 million more in spending and reduce the rainy day fund to $523 million.
A plan to fold Fish & Wildlife and Parks & Recreation into the Department of Natural Resources has been scrapped, but the departments have been told to find $10.6 million in savings, and they can't close any state parks to do it.
Another change would close McNeil Island Corrections Center by the end of the biennium and keep Larch Corrections Center open with 480 beds. The Senate budget originally proposed to close Larch and reduce the size of McNeil Island, but Senate Democrats said the new plan saves an extra $25 million.
Sen. Margarita Prentice, D-Renton, chairwoman of the Ways & Means Committee, said the budget protected the government programs and services Washingtonians value.
"This is an ugly time. None of us wants to put our schools, our colleges, our universities and our economic futures at risk," Prentice said. "This budget will protect Washington's economic future and quality of life."
The Senate budget will have to be reconciled with a House proposal before being sent to Gov. Chris Gregoire for signature.
The legislative session is set to end March 11.
-- Michelle Dupler: 360-753-0862; mdupler@tricityherald.com
