Democrats jump to take over

By Jim Haley

Herald Writer

Democrats Wednesday said they will jump into the state’s thorny transportation thicket with both feet now that the tie in the House of Representatives apparently has been broken.

The hope is to pass a plan and funding scheme to fix the highway gridlock that continues to oppress Puget Sound commuters, said co-speaker Frank Chopp, D-Seattle, who apparently will soon assume the leadership role alone.

"This is the opportunity for the Legislature to move forward and move our state forward," Chopp said.

Gov. Gary Locke sees a major highway construction program as a way to provide 20,000 family-wage jobs. At the same time, the highway work would support businesses such as the Boeing Co., which has long complained about workers and shipments stuck in traffic.

"What better way to do it than to improve our roads?" Locke said of the transportation issue, which he termed "absolutely critical to this state and the key to improving the business climate."

The governor said transportation is "the No. 1 priority for our state," and added that Chopp has promised a House vote on a tax package. He hinted that the revenue package he pursued earlier this year, with a 9-cent-a-gallon increase in the gas tax, will be whittled down "to make it more palatable."

The Democrats seemed ready to roll up their sleeves and get to work after Snohomish County voters Tuesday apparently delivered two House seats to their fold, breaking the tie.

Brian Sullivan, former Mukilteo mayor, maintains a comfortable lead over state Rep. Joe Marine, R-Mukilteo, who was appointed to his post late last year to fill a vacancy in the 21st Legislative District.

Also leading Wednesday was Rep. Jean Berkey, D-Everett, who after election night had more than a 3 percent lead over Republican Erv Hoglund, a former Everett businessman and airline pilot, in the 38th Legislative District.

As many as 40,000 late-arriving absentee ballots will be counted Friday, when the win-loss picture should become clearer.

Both the governor and Chopp hedged their bets on whether the Democrats have actually earned a 50-48 House majority.

Chopp said he’s not yet willing to claim the top House leadership post by himself, a job he has shared with Clyde Ballard, R-East Wenatchee.

"I think it wise that we count all the ballots," Chopp said.

Whatever happens next will come in the face of a budget shortfall estimated at more than $1 billion, and after partisan bickering last session that prevented needed legislation from coming to the House floor for a vote.

"Anybody can manage when times are good," Rep. Aaron Reardon, D-Everett, said Wednesday. "But when the chips are down, the economy is in the tank, the country’s at war and we have a shortfall, it takes real leadership to step up to the plate."

State Democratic Party chairman Paul Berendt said he expects to see progress on transportation even with a razor-thin majority in both legislative houses.

"It may not be a huge package, but I expect an incremental step forward," Berendt said.

Rep. Mike Cooper, D-Edmonds, will team up with Sullivan in the 21st District. His priority will be on "putting together a transportation package that we can pass. …That appeared to be a clear expectation of the voters."

To do that, Cooper said Democrats have to reach across the aisle to work with Republicans and get a bipartisan solution.

House co-speaker Ballard said if Democrats indeed eke out a 50-48 majority, they’ll have "a very, very serious situation" to deal with — the projected $1 billion budget shortfall and traffic congestion that could cost $10 billion to fix.

You can call Herald Writer Jim Haley at 425-339-3447 or send e-mail to haley@heraldnet.com.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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