State budget negotiators making progress

By: | Times-Dispatch
Published: March 11, 2010

Budget negotiators broke down into subcommittees today to talk about specific budget items, a sign that they have resolved many of the revenue issues that have threatened to push the General Assembly into overtime.

The conferees have been looking for ways to balance a budget for the 2010-2012 budget period that began with a $4 billion deficit.

"We're working together; I think that's very important," said Sen. Charles J. Colgan, D-Prince William, the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. "We have the same goals."

Del. M. Kirkland Cox, R-Colonial Heights, vice chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, also was encouraged, although he said the differences are too great to resolve tomorrow.

But Sen. Richard L. Saslaw, D-Fairfax, the Senate majority leader, said it is growing more unlikely that the budget will be complete by Saturday, its scheduled day of adjournment for the 60-day session.

The 13 conferees from the House and Senate met periodically throughout the day before breaking down into subcommittees to discuss health care and public safety issues. This was the first time the conferees had reached enough agreement on larger budget issues that they could form subcommittees.

Significantly, though, Colgan said a subcommittee to talk about education -- the main stumbling block -- had not been formed.

Senate negotiators have been pressuring the House to put hundreds of millions more dollars into K-12 education. The two bodies are about $500 million apart on education funding. But House negotiators say Senate funding for education has been swollen by excessive revenue estimates.

If conferees don't reach agreement by Friday, it is unlikely the assembly can adjourn on time, because the conference committee reports must be printed and on the member's desks by Saturday for their consideration.