The 2010 legislative session started today with fireworks between anti-tax activist Tim Eyman and Gov. Chris Gregoire. Gregoire, facing a $2.6 billion shortfall in the state budget, is thinking of raising taxes (if she can't land enough federal money) to help buy back about $700 million in government services she would otherwise  have to cut.

Seattle Times writer Jim Brunner reports on the fireworks.

Meanwhile, lots of Day One fizz which just can't wait until the morning:

•Democrats were excited late last year when Speaker of the House Seattle-area Rep. Frank Chopp (D-43) indicated he was ready to get behind "retro reform"—a bill to reform the state-funded workers' comp fund so that it couldn't be used for political contributions (the conservative Building Industry Association of Washington has used it that way).

However, PubliCola has learned that the bill will not run this year. Stakeholders decided that the short session, the pressing budget, and a counteroffensive by the GOP to privatize the workers' comp fund are taking priority.

•The city of Seattle's No. 1 lobbying agenda item? Saving General Assistance for the Unemployable—an $88.5 million program that helps support 30,000 adults who have medical and mental disabilities that prevent them from getting jobs. GAU was completely cut in the Governor's initial budget.  She said she would try to restore it, and the city—thanks to concerns from law enforcement—wants her to make good on that.

• The lefty Democratic caucus of pro-labor legislators and green legislators that formed last year as the  Blue-Green coalition, has changed its name to "The Alliance." They've reportedly attracted reps who focus on other Democratic issues like health care and education.

•Environmental lobbyists were nervous when they saw that Chehalis-area Republican Minority Leader Rep. Richard DeBolt (R-20) joined the local government committee this year (a committee that oversees land use issues like the Growth Management Act.) Was Rep. DeBolt persuing some sort of anti-GMA agenda?

Maybe. Another theory: Rep. DeBolt joined the committee (sources say) to keep an eye on committee chair, Southeast King County Rep. Geoff Simpson (D-47), who, Republicans complain, has been rude to them during committee meetings.

•Gov. Chris Gregoire will unveil her second budget tomorrow, where she will reportedly identify many of the $700 million in programs she wants to restore; list some tax exemption loopholes she plans to close (we posted a list here); and give a shout out to the feds and Sen. Maria Cantwell in particular, whose amendments to the U.S. Senate health care reform bill may—if they make it through reconciliation with the house bill—allow Gregoire to fund the state's $160 million Basic Health Plan for low-income people.



Low-income lobbyist Tony Lee

•Watch for liberal groups (unions, low-income advocates) to complain that $700 million in buy backs isn't enough (there's still another $1 billion in programs on the chopping block). If there's surprise money from the feds, they'll say, (like Cantwell's Medicaid money) use that to up the buy backs not as an excuse to forgo raising taxes herself.

Seizing on one-time federal money could compound the problem. Tony Lee, Advocacy Director at Solid Ground, says: "We're concerned that she's not committed to solving the long-term financial problems of the state. We are going to need tax increases because at some point the one-time federal money is going to run out. We're concerned that she's going to back away from her pledge to increase taxes if she's tempted by federal money."

•Best bill title so far this year: "Concerning the taxation of moist snuff."