This Washington
Sen. Zarelli: A Budget Supercommittee of Our Own
Republican state Sen. Joseph Zarelli (R-18, Ridgefield), the ranking Republican on the senate ways and means committee, floated an idea yesterday: Why not set up a bipartisan committee to grapple with the next round of budget woes?
The latest revenue forecast is due on September 15, and people are bracing for bad news: Lower revenues than the state budgeted for when writing the $32 billion 2011-2013 budget. (The August numbers, 0.8 percent below predictions, hinted at what's to come on September 15.)
To prepare for the bad numbers—we budgeted on 12 percent growth and may only see 8 percent growth, which could put us in the red—Zarelli has proposed setting up a nine-member committee to make budget recommendations by January 1, 2012. He also proposed a novel way of creating the committee. To avoid the partisan "posturing and rhetoric" that results when the respective caucus leaders choose their troops, Zarelli proposes having each caucus leader choose one of their own members and one from their rival caucus. (The cross-aisle appointee could turn down the spot.)
The ninth member would be a non-voting seat, an agreed upon "statesperson" respected by the public and both sides. [pullquote]If someone is serious about an idea they don't send out press releases, you call people up in advance," Democratic Sen. Ed Murray says of Zarelli's splashy pitch. "This just seems like positioning."[/pullquote]
Here's how Zarelli—who won PubliCola's committee chair of the year award earlier this year for his bipartisan approach—explains his idea:
Gov. Chris Gregoire obviously has a sense of what's coming. After dealing with a $5.2 billion shortfall last session, making $4.6 billion in cuts for the 2011-2013 biennium, and getting more bad news right after the session that state revenues were down another $328 million for the biennium, Gregoire announced last month that all state agencies should identify 10 percent cuts for $1.7 billion.
Zarelli's counterpart in the senate, ways and means chair Sen. Ed Murray (D-43, Seattle) was suspect of Zarelli's idea. "If someone is serious about an idea they don't send out press releases, you call people up in advance," Murray says of Zarelli's splashy pitch. "This just seems like positioning."
"I called Joe weeks ago, and I told him I'm going to pursue revenue, and I know you won't go there, but I want to continue working together in a bipartisan way."
As for Zarelli's novel idea of appointing people across aisles, Murray doesn't think its practical. "The only way to get useful negotiations is if you have members who can deliver the votes [in their respective caucuses]. That's why my caucus appointed me and Kilmer [budget vice chair Sen. Derek Kilmer]. We can deliver votes. Would the Republicans choose [Sen.] Tim Sheldon." (Sheldon is conservative Democrat who votes with the Republicans.)
Referring to all the praise Murray's bipartisanship budget deal got last session, Murray said, "people have come to appreciate the process, and I'm willing to do more, but I think this is a little bit of posturing."
The latest revenue forecast is due on September 15, and people are bracing for bad news: Lower revenues than the state budgeted for when writing the $32 billion 2011-2013 budget. (The August numbers, 0.8 percent below predictions, hinted at what's to come on September 15.)
To prepare for the bad numbers—we budgeted on 12 percent growth and may only see 8 percent growth, which could put us in the red—Zarelli has proposed setting up a nine-member committee to make budget recommendations by January 1, 2012. He also proposed a novel way of creating the committee. To avoid the partisan "posturing and rhetoric" that results when the respective caucus leaders choose their troops, Zarelli proposes having each caucus leader choose one of their own members and one from their rival caucus. (The cross-aisle appointee could turn down the spot.)
The ninth member would be a non-voting seat, an agreed upon "statesperson" respected by the public and both sides. [pullquote]If someone is serious about an idea they don't send out press releases, you call people up in advance," Democratic Sen. Ed Murray says of Zarelli's splashy pitch. "This just seems like positioning."[/pullquote]
Here's how Zarelli—who won PubliCola's committee chair of the year award earlier this year for his bipartisan approach—explains his idea:
Typically, legislators are chosen to work together by their respective caucus leaders. But, as we’ve seen in Washington, D.C., such an approach tends to result in the selection of members not focused on solutions but on posturing and rhetoric, and thus not aiding in finding the areas of agreement.
Therefore, the makeup of this budget-blueprint group would be novel: Each caucus leader would appoint two people – one from his or her own caucus, and one from the other caucus within that particular chamber.
Why go through the unprecedented step of allowing caucus leaders to reach across the aisle? Because the caucus leaders will almost certainly select members of the other party whose viewpoints appear to be closest to their own; odds are these will be the legislators most likely to act in a way that moves the process forward. Because time is short and expertise is needed, the legislators chosen should be members of the operating budget fiscal committee, thereby ensuring familiarity with budgetary issues.
Gov. Chris Gregoire obviously has a sense of what's coming. After dealing with a $5.2 billion shortfall last session, making $4.6 billion in cuts for the 2011-2013 biennium, and getting more bad news right after the session that state revenues were down another $328 million for the biennium, Gregoire announced last month that all state agencies should identify 10 percent cuts for $1.7 billion.
Zarelli's counterpart in the senate, ways and means chair Sen. Ed Murray (D-43, Seattle) was suspect of Zarelli's idea. "If someone is serious about an idea they don't send out press releases, you call people up in advance," Murray says of Zarelli's splashy pitch. "This just seems like positioning."
"I called Joe weeks ago, and I told him I'm going to pursue revenue, and I know you won't go there, but I want to continue working together in a bipartisan way."
As for Zarelli's novel idea of appointing people across aisles, Murray doesn't think its practical. "The only way to get useful negotiations is if you have members who can deliver the votes [in their respective caucuses]. That's why my caucus appointed me and Kilmer [budget vice chair Sen. Derek Kilmer]. We can deliver votes. Would the Republicans choose [Sen.] Tim Sheldon." (Sheldon is conservative Democrat who votes with the Republicans.)
Referring to all the praise Murray's bipartisanship budget deal got last session, Murray said, "people have come to appreciate the process, and I'm willing to do more, but I think this is a little bit of posturing."
