The Senate Majority Leader says the budget repair bill will be a top priority in the final days of the legislative session. The Governor is expected to introduce a budget repair bill, now that the state is facing a $652 million shortfall in revenues. However, State Senator Russ Decker (D-Weston) expects state agencies to make cuts before that happens. The Governor has already called for about $311 million in cuts to state spending.
Decker says it's not clear yet what all he wants to see included a budget repair bill, but he knows what that it must not cut education or programs like SeniorCare.
Decker says possible fixes include closing the so-called "Las Vegas loophole" on business taxes and reviving a hospital tax that was removed from the state budget. He believes the hospitals may be interested in the tax now that they can see some benefits from it.
The Majority Leader says he'd like to see a budget repair bill make it through the Legislature this spring.
AUDIO: Andrew Beckett reports (MP3 1:03)
