Evan Smith: Kagi says unexpected agreement brought special session

By Evan Smith

ShorelineAreaNews Politics Writer

Democratic State Rep. Ruth Kagi told me two weeks ago that a special legislative session wouldn’t happen without broad agreement about budget cuts.

So, after Gov. Christine Gregoire announced a special session to deal with the State’s $1.1 billion budget shortfall, Kagi said there now is enough agreement for the governor to call the session.

Gregoire has yet to announce a date for the special session.

Kagi said Tuesday that she expects a two-day session, with one for committee hearings and one to approve the budget amendments.

She said that a special session could make most of the needed cuts, with the rest of the cuts coming in a supplemental 2009-2011 budget resolution to be finished in the first few weeks of the regular session in January.

The Legislature would then start dealing with the 2011-2013 budget.

Kagi was to leave her Lake Forest Park home Wednesday for legislative committee meetings in Olympia, including the House ways-and-means committee. She said there is a slim possibility that the ways-and-means committee could hold hearings this week on more than $600 million in proposed budget cuts.

With legislators in Olympia for meetings this week, State Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown has suggested a weekend session, but a Snohomish County legislator told me Tuesday that he’s heard that some legislators may not be able to stay.