OLYMPIA -- House Majority Leader Lynn Kessler said Saturday the Legislature is so bogged down that the governor needs to be clear whether she'd support a sales-tax increase.

Gov. Chris Gregoire has not included a sales-tax increase as part of her revenue proposals, but given the special-session stalemate, Kessler, D-Hoquiam, wants to know, "Would she veto a sales tax? That's a question that needs to be asked."

It's a question reporters have repeatedly asked Gregoire without getting a clear answer.

When asked earlier this week why she hasn't flatly rejected a sales tax, Gregoire said: "That's an option that I'm holding. Right now I'm just trying to work both sides so that they can work together and come to a resolution."

Democrats in the House and Senate have agreed to raise around $800 million through taxes to help close a $2.8 billion shortfall. The remainder of the budget gap would be dealt with through cuts, and one-time fixes such as using reserves and federal aid.

Lawmakers also have agreed on several taxes to increase, such as a cigarette tax. But they've been unable to reach agreement on a sales tax.

The Senate has pushed for a temporary increase and House Democrats have refused, arguing they don't have the votes. The dispute dragged the Legislature into special session and after six days of additional debate, they seem no closer to a solution.

Senate Democrats on Friday approved a revised tax plan with a smaller, two-tenths-of-a-cent sales-tax increase, hoping to break the logjam. But House Democrats responded on Saturday by passing a tax package without a sales tax.

Legislative leaders said they hoped to meet with Gregoire on Saturday to try to work out a compromise.

Kessler said that if the governor made her intentions clear, it could change the debate. "It will change the discussion," Kessler said. "Do we want to sit here until next session, or do we want to get the job done and go home?"

Marty Brown, Gregoire's legislative director, said he didn't know what the governor plans to do.