Another day of dueling budget press conferences by legislative leaders yielded an accusation by Assembly Speaker Mike Huebsch, leveled against Senate Majority Leader Judy Robson
Robson (D-Beloit), meeting with reporters early Tuesday afternoon, once again insisted that the two sides in the state's lengthy budget impasse are relatively close. “We cut $450 million from our proposal, and if you add the cigarette tax at $1.25, and the transfer of $175 million from the Patient Compensation Fund, we're $41 million (in spending) apart,” said Robson . “We're really close.” Not so, said Huebsch (R-West Salem). “Judy has consistently made up numbers,” said Huebsch. “I honestly don't know where she draws her conclusions.”
Huebsch said his last offer, before negotiations broke down a week ago, was actually some $600 million less than the revised budget his Assembly Republicans rejected Monday. It's unclear when the two sides will resume negotiations on the budget, now more than three months past due.