|
|
|
Social
Services Consortium,
The following article came this morning from “The Insider”, a
political information distribution group. It provides insight into some new
“glitches” in the Senate getting out another budget this week.
Working at the GA means that expectations constantly change hour by hour!!
Karen
BUDDING BUDGET: Senate leaders tried to reach an agreement on revenue availability
Tuesday as the likelihood that a budget plan would be ready this week grew
dim. But talk continued that the Senate will roll lottery and tax legislation
into its proposed budget. "We are certainly looking at that," said
Sen. Kay Hagan, D-Guilford, a co-chair of the Senate Appropriations/Base Budget
Committee. Hagan acknowledged that the Senate isn't likely to meet a self-imposed
deadline to have a budget ready by the end of April. She added that Senate
leaders are "turning over every stone" to try to plug holes in the
budget, considering taxes, fees and program cuts. Senate budget subcommittees
had unveiled proposals that would cut an additional $330 million in health
care and education spending from Gov. Mike Easley's budget plan. But few legislative
observers expect those levels of cuts to stand in a final Senate proposal.
Despite protests from the House, Senate leaders do appear serious about including
a lottery in the budget bill. Majority Leader Tony Rand, D-Cumberland, who
heads the Senate select lottery committee, appears in no hurry to push a standalone
Senate bill through the committee. Instead, he said the committee will hear
from the public during a meeting scheduled for this morning. Including a lottery
in the budget may gain votes in the Senate, where five Democrats indicated
initial opposition and all 21 Republicans are
expected to vote against it. Sen. Charlie Albertson, D-Duplin, a longtime
lottery opponent, said he is unsure how he would vote on a budget bill if
a lottery is included. "I hope they don't do that," he said. In
the House, where a lottery passed by a 2-vote margin earlier this month, Speaker
Jim Black predicted disaster if the lottery is put into the budget. "We'd
have about 30 votes for the budget if we do that, maybe 45," Black said.
"When that's come up in the past, that hasn't been very popular on this
side." (THE INSIDER, 04/27/05).
