Republicans weren't happy that majority Democrats in the state Legislature opted for a special session this week to try to come up with a new tax package to balance an operating budget that's $2.8 billion out of whack.

Theyr'e still not happy.

From Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville :

"So far the special session has been a sham. The Senate majority has done nothing it couldn't have done on the final night of the regular session, when it chose to quit working three hours early. Between yesterday and today the Senate spent a little more than two hours voting, and of the 13 bills passed only two represent anything different. One is a new tax preference that could have been adopted in 15 minutes last week; the other is a revised bill on state-employee furloughs that still does not create savings to carry forward. The remaining 11 bills were merely being revived for the special session. The taxpayers have been dinged for two days already and Senate Democrats have an embarrassingly small amount to show for it."

Hold onto your seat belts: The battle for Washington's 3rd Congressional district, where Rep. Brian Baird, D-Wash., is retiring, has heated up with important endorsements on both sides of the political fence.

Baird announced Saturday that he is endorsing Olympia-based businessman and former legislator Denny Heck to be his successor. Heck is in a hot Democratic primary contest with Vancouver-based state Sen. Craig Pridemore.

"Denny will be a strong independent voice in Congress who can effectively fight for southwest Washington on day one," Baird said.

Baird was the lone Democrat in Washington's congressional delegation to vote against the version of health care reform legislation that passed the House of Representatives late last fall.

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Resolutions passed by governments are usually pretty silly. They are non-binding measures that do things like congratulate high school sports teams for winning championships or they express opinions about things far beyond the purview of the government in question. Like, say, the infamous Seattle City Council resolution calling for the removal of dams on the Snake River in Eastern Washington.

On Monday the City Council passed a resolution concerning "goals and priorities for the appointment and confirmation of a new Director of the Office of Housing."

What's interesting here is the subtext. As PubliCola has noted, Mayor Mike McGinn doesn't appear to be sold on the idea of even having a separate housing office, perhaps preferring that the work be folded into another department.

"The City of Seattle voters have confirmed that the Office of Housing is desperately needed to provide help to the most vulnerable of our communities," Council member Nick Licata said in a statement. "We promised them our best support and it is our responsibility to find a strong housing advocate and leader to direct this office."

What Licata and the council are actually saying is - "hey, mayor, don't mess with the Office of Housing."

The Seattle City Council on Monday passed a measure establishing the Seattle Youth Commission.

The panel will be a 25-member body with youth representatives from 13 neighborhood districts.The Commission will advise the City Council and Mayor Mike McGinn.

Commissioners must be 19 years old or younger at the time of appointment and will serve renewable one-year terms running from June to May. The Commission will receive staff support from the City's Department of Neighborhoods.

Rielle Hunter, the former staffer to one-time presidential candidate John Edwards, has granted a long interview with GQ.

She talks about their affair, her life, their child, yadda yadda yadda.

She also calls Edwards "Johnny." That's a little creepy.

There is also a photo gallery, including images of her seemingly in her underwear.

We would expect nothing less, unfortunately.

We only wish The New York Post had a hand it. The newspaper announced Edwards' admission in January that he is the father of Hunter's daughter this way: "I'm the pop, says the weasel."

State lawmakers will be back at the Capitol on Monday. (Associated Press photo)

In an overall budget that's about $31 billion, a couple hundred million bucks is chump change.

But when you have to come up with that money by possibly taxing the bottled water your constituents drink, or the candy they eat or by taking a few more pennies from everything they buy, well, then $200 million is quite a bit of money indeed.

State lawmakers will reconvene in Olympia at noon Monday for a special session. The regular, 60-day session ended Thursday with majority Democrats in the House and Senate about $200 million apart in their respective tax plans to help close a $2.8 billion operating budget deficit.

The budget crisis has revealed fissures between moderate and liberal Democrats. The moderates are balking at further attempts to close tax loopholes, fearful that could hurt businesses. Liberals are wary of adding a general sales tax increase to the state's already regressive tax structure, but also have little stomach for additional program cuts that would fall disproportionately on the poorest Washingtonians.

The Senate's closing tax plan was $890 million, anchored by a three-tenths-of-a-cent sales tax increase. The smaller House proposal keyed on closing $380 million in loopholes and charging sales tax on nothings like candy, gum and bottled water.

Democrats, most of whom up for re-election, know they're going to get lambasted by Republicans in November for summoning the Taxman. That's why during the special session they'll try to come up with a jobs plan, as well. One idea is to sell bonds for specific construction projects.

Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown, D-Spokane, thinks lawmakers can finish up in a week. "We're going to come back on Monday and work every day until we get there," she said.

A week to raise taxes and pass a jobs bill? While lawmakers will want to minimize the costs of the special session (each day costs taxpayers 18 grand), don't be surprised if they are still in Olympia next Monday.

PubliCola reports that non-union employees at Seattle City Light targeted for possible job cuts by Mayor Mike McGinn have decided to enter into a collective bargaining unit.

In January McGinn said he wanted to identify by late February 200 non-union, high level jobs that could be eliminated in the of big budget deficits. McGinn said the number of authorized senior positions has grown to 983 last year, compared to 656 in 2002.

A short time later the mayor suspended that initiative, saying it would be folded into the budget process for this year and next. McGinn's request for senior-level staff reductions had been opposed by potentially affected staffers, who said they were being unfairly targeted. The mayor has since said he may stretch out his goal to eliminate such positions over four years.

This isn't the first time non-union, government staffers have decided to join a union recently. In July policy analysts working for the County Council opted to become Teamsters after then-Council Chairman Dow Constantine said employees who aren't in unions and who make more than about $60,000 annually should have to pay for part of their health premiums; currently county employees don't have to pay any health insurance premiums for health care.

Constantine is now the county executive.

Lawmakers will reconvene in Olympia Monday searching for the same thing they were looking for 60 days ago - the solution to a $2.8 billion operating budget deficit.

With majority Democrats unable to agree on a tax package by the end of the regular session Thursday night, Gov. Chris Gregoire called for a seven-day special session starting on Monday.

Gregoire said she wants the focus of the special session to be on fixing the budget, as well as passing a jobs package.

Republicans said the majority party had failed.

Senate Minority Leader Mike Hewitt, D-Walla Walla, called it a "dismal, incredulous debacle" and the Senate Republican caucus sent out a press release calling the need for a special session - at an estimated $18,000 a day - "a costly and embarrassing mistake."

The House spending plan is smaller than the $890 million one approved by the Senate. The Senate plan contains a general sales tax increase - something House leaders and Gregoire oppose.

House members want to close $380 million in tax loopholes. They also want to charge sales tax on things like candy, gum and bottled water - something they say would bring in more than $140 million through the close of biennium.

And they want to raise more than $110 million by tacking another buck-a-pack tax on cigarettes.

The Senate plan is anchored around a three-tenths-of-a-cent sales tax increase.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report)

Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn on Thursday seemed to back off further from his early goal of quickly cutting 200 senior level positions from city government.

At a budget briefing, McGinn suggested that cutting those jobs could ultimately stretch throughout his four year term. In January McGinn said he wanted to identify by late February 200 non-union, high level jobs that could be eliminated. McGinn said the number of authorized senior positions has grown to 983 last year, compared to 656 in 2002.

A short time later the mayor suspended that initiative, saying it would be folded into the budget process for this year and next. McGinn's request for senior-level staff reductions had been opposed by potentially affected staffers, who said they were being unfairly targeted.

On Thursday, McGinn said of his goal:

"I think it will take time to accomplish...Whether the amount of time it will take us to attain 200 (position) budget cuts is dependant ultimately on making decisions that ensure that we deliver the best services possible."

McGinn said people should just whether he's been successful at the end of his first term.

The state Legislature has expanded access to medical marijuana, allowing people other than doctors to prescribe the drug.

"Senate Bill 5798 recognizes that many patients rely on medical professionals other than MDs and ODs for their primary health care and makes this form of therapy equally available to them," said Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, D-Seattle, the measure's main sponsor.

In 1998, state voters OK'd an initiative to allow doctors and and osteopaths to authorize the medical use of marijuana by patients with terminal or debilitating medical conditions.

SB5798 extends the ability to authorize the medical pot use to other licensed health professionals who are already authorized to prescribe controlled substances. These professionals include naturopathic doctors, advanced registered nurse practitioners, physician assistants and osteopathic physician assistants.

On Thursday the Senate concurred with changes made to the measure by the House. It now goes to Gov. Chris Gregoire.

Two new polls suggest Mitt Romney is emerging as the front-runner in the race for the 2012 GOP presidential nomination.

The Public Policy Polling surveys show Romney easily leading Sarah Palin and Mike Huckabee in Colorado and Florida.

Colorado2012 President: Republican Primary
44% Romney, 25% Palin, 17% Huckabee

Florida
2012 President: Republican Primary
52% Romney, 21% Huckabee, 18% Palin

The polls of just under 500 voters were taken March 5 through 8 in both states. The margin of error was 4.4 percent.

A bill introduced in the state Legislature would introduce an income tax on high earners and lower the sales tax by a penny a dollar. It's highly unlikely anything will happen with this bill this session, but a recent poll found people in Washington state liked the idea.

According to the SurveyUSA poll done for KING5:

A group of state senators, led by Republican Joe Zarelli of Ridgefield, on Wednesday filed a bill that would prohibit lawmakers from receiving a per diem during an anticipated special session.

The per diem is $90 per day.

(Hat tip Washington Policy Center)

Stymied by disagreements about how to raise taxes to deal with a $2.8 billion deficit, state lawmakers will almost require a special session to finish their work.

The regular, 60-day session is scheduled to end Thursday. But the Senate and the House disagree on a revenue package to help blunt the effect of cuts needed to balance a budget thrown out of whack by the recession.

Viet Shelton, spokesman for Gov. Chris Gregoire, said the governor was preparing for a possible special session. However the logistics of an extra stanza - like when it would occur and for how long - depend on how much lawmakers accomplish by Thursday night.

"We're not done yet, we've still got until tomorrow," Shelton said. "We are ready should things not get done."

The House spending plan is smaller than the $890 million one approved by the Senate. The Senate plan contains a general sales tax increase - something House leaders and Gregoire oppose.

House members want to close $380 million in tax loopholes. They also want to charge sales tax on things like candy, gum and bottled water - something they say would bring in more than $140 million through the close of biennium.

And they want to raise more than $110 million by tacking another buck-a-pack tax on smokes.

The Senate plan is anchored around a three-tenths-of-a-cent sales tax increase.

Both the House and Senate are controlled by Democrats.

From a new Gallup Poll:

Would you advise your representative in Congress to vote for or against a healthcare reform bill similar to the one proposed by President Obama?
45% Vote for, 48% Vote against

The survey of 1,014 adults was taken March 4-7. The margin of error was 4 percent.