The House and Senate presented their proposed amendments to the governor’s biennial budget on Sunday. The remarks of House Appropriations Committee Chairman Lacey Putney can be viewed here (pdf) and those of Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Colgan can be viewed here (pdf). I had a chance to chat with House conference committee member Johnny Joannou last week, so I was aware of many of the concerns and priorities of the House. The ability to fund raises for state employees, particularly teachers, was a priority as was an increase in the number of MR waivers. Both of these made it to the proposed budget. My conversation with Del. Joannou was prompted by HB1522, which he co-patroned and which would eliminate the Department of Business Assistance. (Although the bill passed the House, Joannou voted against it, and I’d like to thank him for doing so.) The House budget includes the elimination of this department while the Senate version includes no such elimination. This will be one of the many issues that the budget conferees have to work out.
The budget amendments can be viewed here (by committee at the bottom of the page).
With the anticipated $1.4 billion revenue shortfall, there isn’t much wiggle room in the budget. (That’s why my legislative agenda included no items that cost money.) This is going to be a tough couple of years.
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
Please pardon (and help cure) my ignorance. What is an MR Waiver?
Mouse, I think it means Mental Retardation Waiver. Sounds like a funding increase is on the way.
Does anyone remember the Finance Committee splitting along party lines when the Senate’s version of the budget was presented? I don’t – and I’m pretty damn old. I suspect that the fighting will not be over by 3/8.
Mouse – check out this They are quite expensive but the waiting list continues to grow. I’m told some of the folks on the list have waited 7 years for them.
Got it. Thanks.
If we want to provide these services to our citizens, why don’t we just tell the feds to pound sand and pay for it ourselves?
Brian – much has changed in the GA this year and this is one of the things. I’m not too surprised that the committee split along party lines.