Transportation budget on table as new session begins

The announcement, made hours before the start of a third special session called for lawmakers to finish work on a state operating budget, came after Gov. Jay Inslee said he would sign any ultimate deal between the two chambers, even if it includes language that Inslee opposed related to a low carbon fuel standard, which had been a major point of contention in the negotiations.

Under the measure being considered, if that standard is ultimately adopted, all non-bondable revenues — such as fee-based money going toward transit and bike paths — would instead be moved into the main transportation account, a tie that several Democrats and Inslee have decried.

The announcement comes as lawmakers returned to the Capitol on Sunday to start a third special session to finish negotiations on a state operating budget.

An outline of the agreement provided Saturday says that the budget is about $38 billion, that it spends an estimated $1.3 billion on K-12 basic education, and that it will reduce the cost of tuition at the state's colleges and universities and community colleges.