It's a short session and an election year, and pro-business groups say they expect to focus more on directions than dollars when the Legislature convenes in Olympia next month.

"Our indications are that there's no new money this year," says David Kleisch, a director of the Washington Economic Development Association. "This is a policy year."

However, some organizations are looking to Olympia for money to support specific programs. Here's what's on some wish lists from around the state:

Along with tax increment financing, the Washington Economic Development Association would like to see changes to CERB, the Community Economic Revitalization Board. CERB is "one of the state's most effective rural economic development tools," but it needs better funding and a streamlined application process, the association says.

Transportation is going to be a big issue for the Association of Washington Business, says Gary Chandler, the group's vice president for governmental affairs. Now that Puget Sound voters have rejected Proposition 1, "we don't know what is going to happen," he says. AWB also plans to keep a close eye on climate change regulation. Chandler says Washington has a big advantage with its access to hydropower, and "we need to make sure that we don't raise the price of energy."

Also, paid family leave remains a big issue, particularly among small businesses. "We believe it's not needed," he says.

Workforce development is becoming a major issue for the state's forest products industry, says Mark Doumit, the executive director of the Washington Forest Protection Association. Some 40 percent of the industry's 45,000 workers are going to retire within a decade, everyone from loggers to foresters to lawyers with an industry background.

The association also is sensitive to any legislation that would make it harder for forest landowners to keep growing trees on their acreage, particularly in the face of expected soaring values for residential real estate.

The Tri-Cities Industrial Development Council would like to see more funding for the state's innovation zones, says Deanna Smith, director of public affairs at TriDec. A Port of Benton proposal to create a center to study different kinds of sustainable energy - including solar dish generating systems and commercial- scale fuel sales - was approved, but it didn't get funding.

And proving that transportation isn't solely a western Washington issue, Smith says TriDec is interested in getting more money for highway projects in its region, including upgrades to routes that connect Pasco and Kennewick.

- Bryan Corliss