Saturday, December 11, 2010

Special Session Saturday

Today’s action began in the Ways and Means Committee, where the budget proposal was approved with bipartisan and unanimous support. Outgoing chair Kelli Linville presided over the hearing and offered that “working together is the way you’re going to get through this” right before the committee voted 18 to zero in favor of the bill.

“These cuts that are included in this bill will have a real impact,” said Majority Leader Pat Sullivan. “Whether it’s school children or those that get health care through community clinics…these are tough choices that’ll affect citizens across this entire state.”

Sullivan concluded by saying the House will need “to make sure that we hold our core values true, but also take difficult actions to resolve the budget shortfall.”

The hearing can be viewed online at TVW.

This afternoon the House and Senate passed the budget cuts (which The Advance reported on yesterday) as well as two supporting bills dealing with tax complains and child support. The bipartisanship in committee was reflected on the House floor, as members from both parties voted for and against the budget, passing 86 to six.

In all, today’s actions will tackle $585 million of the current budget hole. When members meet in January, the remaining $541 million in cuts needed to balance the budget ending in June will be addressed.

Apture