The House and Senate agreed Wednesday afternoon to extend the budget deadline to July 31.
The bill allows the state to keep operating while budget negotiators lock horns over a final spending plan. Democrats, who control both chambers, say they need to raise as much as $1 billion in new taxes to avoid painful cuts to education and social services.
Republicans say the budget can be cut further without serious damage to the lives of state residents. Rep. David Lewis, a Dunn Republican, noted that the temporary spending bill allows the state to operate at 84 percent of the last year's budget.
"We do have the $17.6 billion that this authorizes us to spend," Lewis said. "Maybe the state government can join and share in some of the belt tightening that's going on in homes all over this state."
The Senate wanted to extend the budget without a deadline. House Democrats, believing a deadline helps spur negotiators forward, insisted on one. Of course, the last temporary spending plan expired today and negotiators are still deadlocked.
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