Vote postponed on bill that would ease state’s budget woes

Majority Democrats in the U.S. Senate postponed a scheduled vote today on a bill that would bring millions of much-needed dollars to Washington and ease the need for a special session of the state Legislature.

The vote is now slated for Wednesday.

The bill pushed by Senate Democrats contains $16 billion in enhanced funding for Medicaid assistance and $10 billion for preserving public school teacher jobs.

Washington would receive an estimated $320 million share of Medicaid funding, which is enough to cover the roughly $300 million hole in the current state budget. The education money would cover an estimated 3,000 teaching positions.

Without the Medicaid funds, Gov. Chris Gregoire will either order across-the-board spending cuts or summon lawmakers into a special session to deal with the deficit..

Senate Republicans have opposed earlier versions of the $26 billion bill. They’ve insisted every new dollar of spending be offset by an equal reduction elsewhere in the federal budget.

“Senate Democratic leaders tabled the vote to make 100 percent sure the bill is fully paid for,” said Matt McAlvanah, spokesman for Sen. Patty Murray, D-WA.