On Friday, I reported that State Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles of Seattle's 36th District (Queen Anne and Magnolia) was promising to sponsor legislation that would repeal language putting Seattle on the hook for any downtown tunnel cost overruns.

Here's what Kohl-Welles said at the Friday forum sponsored by Publicola:

Mayor McGinn is seemingly trying to do everything he can to delay the project. Tie it up every way possible. So I would be very supportive of legislation... I would sponsor, I would support getting rid of that cost overrun language that we have.

I'm not the only one who heard her say that. But yesterday, Kohl-Welles told me that while I accurately quoted her, it wasn't correct to say that she was vowing to sponsor a bill to repeal cost overruns language. (Even though she said: "I would sponsor, I would support getting rid of that cost overrun language that we have.")

The explanation from Kohl-Welles for her backpedaling since Friday:

Since then, I’ve talked it over with Sen. [Ed] Murray and support his intention to introduce legislation creating a type of independent review panel, and to wait for a bill on eliminating the Seattle taxpayers language to come from the House (if it does). I still do not believe the provision in the current statute is enforceable... It would be found unconstitutional. My point at the forum was that it might be good to go ahead and remove the language because of all the political ramifications that have been going on.

While she's waiting for the state house to pass repeal language, keep in mind: State house members like Joe Fitzgibbon of West Seattle's 34th District say they'll be more than happy to repeal the language—provided the state senate acts first.