A user's guide to the 2006 Legislature

The state Legislature opens with the strike of a gavel at noon Monday. It's your chance to tell lawmakers how to spend your tax dollars, educate your children and protect you from crime, among other decisions.

Since this year's session is only 60 days, Democratic majority leaders in both the House and Senate say they will mostly be pushing legislative "tweaks" and not many hefty proposals.

It's also an election year. With all 98 House seats and about half of the 49 Senate seats on next fall's ballot, there likely will be more posturing than policymaking this session.

Still, a few issues could raise a ruckus. The state's projected $1.4 billion budget surplus will be a powerful temptation for some to spend and for others to cut taxes. Lawmakers also are bracing for fights over gay rights and standardized testing of high-school students.

We'll live with the decisions made in Olympia over the next couple of months. Let them know what you think.

Reporting by Ralph Thomas and Andrew Garber, Seattle Times staff reporters

Graphics by Kristopher Lee, Seattle Times news artist