Legislators Agree to Delay Classroom Reduction Plan

Finally, a rogue group of Democratic Senators in Olympia have agreed to delay implementation of part of the controversial class-reduction initiative. Now, legislators can finally adjourn the spring 2015 session.

This week on Newstalk 870, we heard GOP Senator Sharon Brown of the 8th District (Tri-Cities) talk about how the House and Senate were able to hammer out what she called one of the best budgets in recent memory - only to see it nearly torpedoed by a small group of Democrats in the Senate who even turned on their own Governor.

The Capitol Record, who covers political movements in Olympia, said late Wednesday an agreement has been reached to delay implementation of part of Initiative 1351.  It was passed by voters, but largely because it was presented as a virtually "free" initiative - very little cost.  The Washington Education Association really pushed hard for this plan which mandates reduced class sizes K-12, and hiring tens of thousands of new teachers over the next few years. It was an unfunded liability with no revenue source tied to it.

Senator Brown said the budget just passed does provide money to reduce sizes K-3rd grade, but it was logistically impossible to fully fund the entire $2 billion project all at once.   Many observers in Olympia believe the WEA pressured a small group of Democratic Senators to reject the bill that would have delayed the rest of I-1351.  This held up the legislature, and they were forced to continue to wrangle until yesterday. While small, this group of Senators were enough to nearly torpedo what had taken three extra legislative sessions to accomplish.

The rest of the state budget was already passed and in place, but this renegade action left what Senator Brown called a $2 billion dollar hole in the package. They couldn't adjourn until it was closed and taken care of.