State budget remains unresolved

Mike Dennison

Apr. 21, 2009 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- HELENA -- The legislative impasse over Montana's state budget was in standstill mode Monday as a trio of committees assigned to work out a compromise took no significant action.

The House-Senate conference committees agreed to reconvene today, but Sen. Keith Bales, R-Otter, who chairs two of the committees, said he doesn't expect to see any concrete proposals.

Rep. Jon Sesso, D-Butte, who chairs the House Appropriations Committee Chair and sits on all three budget conference committees, also said it's unlikely the panels will see much movement until there's some idea what will happen to a related property tax bill.

That measure, which is supposed to adjust property taxes in the wake of statewide reappraisal, also is headed to a House-Senate conference committee today. It's a game of political brinksmanship in the final week of the 2009 Legislature, as the Republican-controlled Senate is squaring off against the House and Democratic Gov. Brian Schweitzer.

Schweitzer is saying he won't accept the Senate versions of the two major budget bills, while Senate leaders have yet to indicate where or whether they might bend.

Schweitzer is generally supportive of budget bills originally passed by the House, which is split 50-50 between Republicans and Democrats. The Senate has since amended those versions into bills that the governor opposes.

The Legislature is scheduled to end next Monday. If the budget isn't approved by then, a special legislative session would have to be called to complete the work.

"We're hopeful we can work out issues this week and have bills we can support," said Sarah Elliott, spokeswoman for the governor. "It's a long ways from over. Our staff and our cabinet are working every day with folks (on the issues)."

Elliott said the governor opposes many elements of the Senate version of the budget bills, but objects primarily to three main items: The lack of full funding for Healthy Montana Kids, the voter-approved expansion of government health insurance for kids in low- and moderate-income families.

Using one-time funds to increase state funding for public schools, instead of giving schools a permanent, ongoing increase of 3 percent a year for their basic payments.

Not itemizing local building projects that would use some $25 million in federal economic-stimulus funds. The federal government wants to ensure that the money is being used to create jobs, and the projects must be identified, the governor has said.

Newstex ID: KRTB-0032-34358101