I didn't do a "weekly report" for March 31st because I was just too discouraged and frustrated to sit down and try to compose anything that made sense and/or didn't just become one long whine.

It's not much better this week, but I do want to stay in touch and try to let folks know what's going on.  As far as the budget is concerned, NOTHING is going on -- at least that the rank and file members are aware of.  There continue to be leadership meetings, but we haven't had an update in several weeks.  The Republican leadership was pushing for spending cuts as part of an overall package to overcome a $1.2 BILLION deficit, but the Governor would have none of that.  By prolonging the negotiations, we've reached a point where it will be almost impossible to make any cuts in state spending in the less than three months that remain in the fiscal year.  Bonding, and subsequent debt service, here we come!

There is another deadline looming that we haven't yet addressed either, and that is the judge's decision to impose fines (again) on the State if the legislature doesn't fund English Language Learners (ELL) to his satisfaction by April 15th.  By using the model specified in the bill we passed last year (and the Governor let become law without her signature), Superintendent Horne has arrived at a figure of slightly over $40 million that would need to be added to our current spending.  Naturally, the plaintiffs in this case contend that it should be much, much more -- by some calculations up to $300 million additionally.  That figure is totally unrealistic, especially in these tight money times.  But just to get our figure to the court, we need to pass the required apropriation; and that has not occurred as of April 7th, not even in the Appropriations Committee.  I have given my commitment to the Speaker of the House that I will support this plan, but apparently others have not.  e cannot bring it forward until he is sure that the votes are there.  Again, the clock is ticking.

We suffered a major defeat in the House last week with the defeat of a measure to go to the ballot defining marriage as between one man and one woman.  This happened because of the votes of four "Republicans"  who voted with the Democrats to add an amendment that referred to domestic partnerships.  With this amendment, we could not support the bill. but it passed in Committe of the Whole anyway.  It won't be brought up for 3rd read as it stands, but that will mean that signatures will have to be gathered to get the measure on the ballot, rather than being referred by the legislature.

While I was sorry to see this happen on the merits of the bill, it has far deeper implications for the budget negotiations.  The Democrats felt impowered by this victory for their side and that will carry forward to other areas.  The Governor can say, "You can't even hold your caucus together.  Why should I negotiate, when you can't be sure you have the votes to adopt whatever we agree to?"  It's been difficult before, but now it will seem impossible.

Keep in mind that we are talking about corrections to the 2008 fiscal year budget!  We haven't even started talking about next year's, which has to be in place by June 30th.  The last two years we've ended our session on June 22nd, and I don't see that we can finish up any earlier this year.  We'll probably go until the very last minute.

We are still trying to get other work of the legislature done, but I've run into trouble with two of my bills.  I hope to resolve them this week and report success next week.  Until then,

Nancy