Long to-do list confronts Washington lawmakers, as session nears its end

Washington lawmakers are racing against time as they confront a looming $16 billion budget shortfall with just 13 days left in the legislative session. Key tasks include reconciling differences over a contentious rent cap bill, completing the transportation budget, and addressing proposed tax increases. Democrats have passed spending plans that rely on significant tax hikes to fill the budget gap, but these proposals face strong opposition from Republicans. Governor Bob Ferguson has disrupted the budgeting process by rejecting a proposed tax on the wealthy, leaving the status of other revenue-raising measures uncertain. Negotiators are now tasked with making difficult spending cuts, such as potential furloughs for state workers, while also ensuring adequate funding for public schools.

The complexity of these negotiations highlights the challenges lawmakers face in balancing fiscal responsibility with the needs of constituents. As the deadline approaches, clarity on the tax measures and spending cuts is expected to emerge. The decisions made in these final days will have lasting implications for Washington's economy and public services.