House Majority Leader Eddie Farnsworth, R-22, says he wants to take a second look at some budget issues, and Senate Majority Leader Tim Bee, R-30, says work on the budget in the Senate is like taking baby steps.

Senate President Ken Bennett, R-1, frustrated in negotiations with Senate Democrats, said a budget agreement during the week of March 29 “would be a pleasant surprise.”

Thus, progress on the fiscal 2005 budget continues at a snail’s pace, and Mr. Farnsworth, who a week ago was optimistic the House might have a proposal by now, is reluctant to set a target date.

Meanwhile, the Joint Legislative Budget Committee staff released data showing that the state’s revenue picture is continuing to improve.

At the end of February, which is eight months into fiscal 2004, JLBC reported revenue collections were $139.6 million more than expected.

“Year-to-date collections are up 6.3 per cent for the first eight months of the fiscal year,” reported JLBC.

Education, All-Day Kindergarten

Mr. Bennett says Senate negotiators are working on education, all-day kindergarten, state employee pay raises and Department of Economic Security issues.

Mr. Farnsworth, who has an 11-member working group attempting to pull together a budget proposal, says there are some issues he wants to farm out to subgroups.

“These aren’t areas where there is disagreement,” he says. “They are areas we feel there needs to be more study.”

Mr. Farnsworth says the work by the subgroups should not take long, but he now says he is reluctant to set a target date for completing work on the proposal.

He says he has most of the House Republicans involved in the budget work so whatever is eventually put together should have the full support of the caucus and sufficient votes to get out of the House.

However, he says he is uncertain if he wants to have the House approve a proposed budget and then leave it to the mercies of the Senate.

“After what happened last year, I’m not sure what I want to do,” says Mr. Farnsworth.

Last year, the Senate negotiators increased a House-approved $6.2 billion budget to $6.4 billion.

Asked if he would negotiate with Governor Napolitano, Mr. Farnsworth said, “Not until I have a House budget, at least.” —