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| Senate endorses budget measure |
| By Mike Dennison |
| Published: 04/10/2009 |
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HELENA - Amid cries of “draconian cuts” and balancing the budget on the backs of poor people and public schools, the state Senate's Republican majority pushed through its version of a $7.9 billion state budget bill Thursday. The Senate endorsed House Bill 2, which funds most of state government for the next two years, on a 26-24 vote after nearly eight hours of debate. Republican leaders described their proposed budget as “austere,” but said it cuts spending for virtually no programs. They said the budget, along with money in a separate $880 million federal stimulus bill, increases funds for public schools, the university system and health insurance for kids. “What we're striving to do is craft a budget that satisfies the needs of (the state) yet takes into consideration the uncertainties we are facing with our economy at the present time,” said Sen. Keith Bales, R-Otter. “I think this budget does that.” Yet Republicans needed a little help to get a majority vote Thursday - and they got it from an unlikely source. Rep. Jonathan Windy Boy, a Democrat from Box Elder, voted for the measure, joining 25 of the Senate's 27 majority Republicans. Two conservative Republicans - Sens. Joe Balyeat of Bozeman and Greg Hinkle of Thompson Falls - voted “no” on the budget. Windy Boy, a member of the Chippewa-Cree Tribe on the Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation, said he supported the bill because of an amendment added Thursday that allows Indian tribes to maintain control over some foster care contracts with the state. Windy Boy also said he thinks money from the stimulus bill will help take the hard edges off some of the lesser-funded areas of HB2. “There are a lot of philosophical differences between Democrats and Republicans, but I think (the stimulus bill) does help alleviate some of the problems,” he said. “We'll figure out a way in two years to make things whole.” HB2 faces a final Senate vote next Tuesday before it goes to a House-Senate conference committee, which will try to find a budget compromise that both bodies can support. HB2 came out of the House three weeks ago with a bipartisan compromise, crafted by a House Appropriations Committee split 10-10 between Democrats and Republicans. But Senate Republicans have made it a different proposal, chopping some $100 million-plus in general fund spending out of the measure to achieve what they call “structural balance” of the state's treasury the next two years. Read more. If link has expired, check the website of the article's original news source. |
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