Will Washington really punt budget action until January?

What once seemed inevitable is now growing unlikely — a special session to balance the state’s budget. This is why it was so important to act before the new spending increases took effect on July 1. Once we started the new fiscal year, the likelihood of a special session dropped. By waiting until August, the September revenue forecast is just around corner. Then after September, the November election is just a jump away. Then the temptation to delay until January becomes even stronger. Delaying further, however, will make the necessary changes much harder to implement.

According to the Seattle...