It’s a rare occasion when most, if not all, of Washington’s statewide elected officials are in the same room. The Governor’s State of the State speech Tuesday morning offered such an opportunity.

Moments before they entered the House Chambers to attend Governor Gregoire’s annual address to the Legislature, all of the “Statewides” except the guv and Lt. Gov. Owen (who was presiding over the joint legislative session) gathered in the State Reception Room for a photo.

From left to right: Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn, Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler, Treasurer Jim McIntire, Secretary of State Sam Reed, Auditor Brian Sonntag, Attorney General Rob McKenna and Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark.

The governor used her televised address to urge lawmakers to act quickly on closing a $1.5 billion budget gap and strongly requested that they send voters a half-cent sales tax hike that would bring in about $500 million a year for the next three years.  That would allow the Legislature to head off big cuts in education, higher education and other programs, she said.

Gregoire also unveiled a $3.6 billion transportation package that would include a $1.50 barrel tax on oil.  And the governor urged approval of her education reform proposals.

The Legislature opened its election-year 60-day session on Monday.