In Sunday’s story local legislators expressed approval for there being no special session, but at the end there was this from state Sen. Tim Sheldon, D-Potlatch:
Sheldon also said upcoming budget forecasts could influence the governor to call the Legislature back. If projected revenues further threaten the state’s two-year end balance of about $755 million, the governor could call lawmakers back before next year.
Tuesday’s (Tacoma) News Tribune has the governor speculating on that possibility, and on the idea that one-time money used this time around made the session easier and that it could be a lot tougher in two years.
“I don’t know if we can get through to next January,” Gregoire told The News Tribune editorial board on Monday.
She pointed out the most recent monthly revenue collections for April were down $41 million over projected forecasts of $1 billion. That compares with a $50 million drop in the previous month.
“Though small, it is telling for the June forecast,” she said. “We anticipate the June forecast will be down and we have no reason to believe the September forecast won’t be down.”
The Legislature has a day in September when they’ll all go back to Olympia, so it could be scheduled around then, assuming it does happen sooner than January.
