Helen Sommers: An Oral History

pg. 272 The Press
ceed Sommers as chair of the House Appropriations
Committee, one of the most influential positions
in the Legislature.
Rep. Kelli Linville, D-Bellingham, said she’s
going for the job. “I think I have as good a shot as
anybody. I’m pretty optimistic,” she said.
Rep . Hans Dunshee, D-Snohomish, is vice chairman
of the committee and often mentioned as a
possible successor to Sommers. Dunshee said he’s
interested in the job but wouldn’t say much else.
“We should do this in a way that gives [Sommers]
the most grace and dignity,” he said. “It
seems unseemly to be ripping her name plate off
the door already.”
For 36 years, Sommers has represented Seattle’s
36 th Legislative District. For the past decade, as
chairwoman or co-chair of the Appropriations
Committee, she’s played a pivotal role in writing
the state budget.
She waited until after the final deals were
reached on this year’s budget negotiations before
confirming her retirement plans.
Sommers stirred rumors about her plans
last fall when she began returning some checks
from campaign donors. Though she would not
confirm anything publicly before Tuesday, two
people are already running for her seat in the
Democratic primary.
Sommers is planning to travel to Finland and
Russia later this year but said she is not sure yet
whether she will try to play any official roles for
the state.”What am I going to do? I’m going to take
it easy,” Sommers said.
House Speaker Frank Chopp, D-Seattle, said
Sommers “deserves an enormous amount of gratitude”
for her work in the Legislature.
“Helen has been an outstanding legislator for
many, many years and has contributed a lot to this
state particularly in the area of higher education,”
he said. “She’s been an absolutely tremendous advocate
for education opportunity.”
The other House members who are stepping
down this year are Reps. Bill Eickmeyer, D-Belfair,
Mason County; Bill Fromhold, D-Vancouver;
Pat Lantz, D-Gig Harbor; Joyce McDonald, R-
Puyallup; Jim McIntire, D-Seattle; Lynn Schindler,
R-Spokane Valley; and Bob Sump, R-Republic,
Ferry County.
McIntire is leaving the Legislature to run for
state treasurer.
Washington’s budget:
Prudent or foolish?
By David Ammons
AP POLITICAL WRITER
Tuesday, March 7, 2006
OLYMPIA, Wash. – Majority Democrats have
unveiled their go-home budget, praising it as a compassionate,
yet prudent use of the state’s projected
surplus of $1.6 billion.
Republicans, though, called it an undisciplined
spending spree that will set the state up for massive
red ink next year. The final debate and voting on
the budget was scheduled for Wednesday.
Leaders continued to hold out hope for adjournment
Wednesday, a day before the allotted 60 days
runs out. Negotiators released details Tuesday of
a $1.35 billion supplemental state budget that also
includes more than $53 million in business tax cuts
and a savings account of $935 million.
The latter includes appropriations into reserve
accounts for schools, health care and pensions. Those
pots of money are expected to be quickly depleted
next year to help write the 2007-09 budget. House
and Senate budget chairwomen said the package
is a wise blend of spending, tax relief and savings.
The $522 million in additional general fund spending
includes K-12 education, colleges, health care,
human services, prisons, mental health and more.
The supplemental spending will go atop the
$26 billion, two-year budget adopted last spring.
Including the $720 million tucked into three sav-