The Seattle Times’ Andrew Garber reports that Gov. Chris Gregoire told reporters that she made the case to President Obama that states are going to need help again in 2011, particularly with Medicare.
Almost everyone (And I only include “almost” because I’m allowing that there may be a contrarian out there somewhere.) agrees that the economic recovery, which may have already begun, will be slow. Gregoire is among them.
That we may already be in recovery, slow as it is, may mean the Legislature won’t have to hold a special session in October. Legislators have said economic projections might make it necessary to readjust the budget, but the last forecast was positive in that it wasn’t worse than expected.
State Rep. Fred Finn, D-Olympia, said Wednesday he ranks the odds as 60-40 against a special session. Part of that is because of the recovery we are rumored to be in. The other part is the logistical nightmare of opening up that conversation again. The session could address anything. “Once you call the Legislature back, it’s kind of hard to control where it goes,” Finn said.
“Governor Wants More”
“Dog Bites Man”