With a week left in the legislative session, lawmakers are close to piecing together the state budget puzzle.
They have to reduce spending by 54 million dollars to fill a projected shortfall for this year and the fiscal year that starts July 1st. Lawmakers say they’ll make it happen.
Leaders from both parties considered a one percent increase for K through 12 schools and state employees. They say that can’t happen in this budget.
However, lawmakers say there’s still appetite to float money for a bond to build and establish an Animal Disease Research and Diagnostics Laboratory. Estimates show the facility costs more than $58 million. The state plans to pay back the bonds over several years.
State Senator Billie Sutton is the Democratic Minority Leader.
“Where there’s a will, there’s a way," Sutton says. "We see that the majority is going to be willing to find this ongoing funding stream for the ADRDL lab. So why can’t… we could also find funding for K – 12 and for our high need providers.”
Sutton says subcommittees are meeting on budgets for state departments. He says they could finish the education budget early next week.
State Representative Kent Peterson says others departments probably won’t see additional money.
“I don’t know that any increases are going to be in the cards. Now, it’s still preliminary," Peterson says. "I think that folks we’re hearing from in different groups and organizations understand what we’re dealing with this year and understand how tight the money is and for them, not having to take a cut is a win.”
Other Republican leaders say they may be able to save money in some areas of general fund spending.