For the past couple of weeks, talk of a special session of the Legislature has heated up.

Driven by a growing sense that the House and Senate will be unable to get its work done — primarily on taxes and a budget — what was only a whisper two weeks ago is now openly acknowledged as possible by the governor.

Last week, word came from some in the Senate that staff were complaining that a special session would be required in order for them to have the time necessary to do all their prep work on key bills.

Now some on staff are predicting it. “The talk around here is that we are going into a special session,” wrote one in an e-mail.

A special session raises two issues — the mischief that can be done, and the cost associated with that mischief.

It’s impossible to speculate what will happen during a special session since neither house has shown much discipline this session. To compare it to herding cats would be an insult to the cats.

And the cost for it all is being pegged at between $18,000 to 20,000 per day … at least.

For what? Taxpayers will be paying that bill to give the Senate and the House the luxury of time to hash out how they will raise taxes higher than they are now while making phantom budget cuts.

What else is out there to discover?

Scott St. Clair is a Seattle-based freelance journalist and commentator.