Friday, May 18th, 2007...5:35 pm
No Sign of Aimee Mann
I recieved a missive from a person close to the House leadership who objected to my characterization of the possibility of changes to the budget to secure the votes of Republicans when it is reconsidered on Tuesday. I said that $20 million dollars had been offered for charter schools in exchange for the votes of some conservative members. Well, as it turns out, I was mistaken. Apparently, at least one conservative member has let it be known that this is the sort of thing that would get him to vote for the House Republican budget. Not an offer from the leadership so much as a counter-offer.
He also took issue with my contention that the budget would be modified. Granted, the budget bill that failed earlier this week is beyond a point where it can be amended. However, it is what is refered to as a “feed” bill. It is the bill that enables the rest to be acted on. There are still thirteen other bills that are part of the budget but have not gone through the process and can be amended.
If these are amended in order to attract conservative members, then the budget stands a chance of losing votes from moderates. Remember that Jim Weiers was able to keep moderates like Bill Konopnicki and Andrew Tobin on board. Does more red meat thrown at the conservatives lose him these votes?
If this goes down, does the Senate Bipartisan budget get heard in the House?
NB - “Arizona Bill” character designed by Bob Richards.
3 Comments
May 19th, 2007 at 7:50 am
I forsee a long battle over the budget now. I was hoping that the death of the House budget would dishearten Weiers and push him to move on the house budget. I now see the error of my ways. Weiers is pitbull and won’t let go. His budget won’t pass, but I bet he ‘jacks up’ the Senate budget to the point that it won’t pass both houses or is ‘jacked up’ to the point Janet slices it up and sends it back.
Can anyone say ’special session’?
May 19th, 2007 at 10:28 am
I’m not quite as pessimistic as AZW88, but I agree that there is much weeping and gnashing of teeth to endure before we have a budet.
I’ll be curious to see if Weiers can carve a deal that will buy off the Eddie Farsworth crowd without losing the few moderates who backed his budget.
The all-important key is to keep the pressure on Lopez, Rios, Bradley, Cajero Bedford et al to keep them unified behind the Senate budget.
If the House Dems stick to their guns they can get a reasonable budget passed - and they can learn what unity can bring.
It will also show voters what’s to come if they just elect four more Democrats, and put Phil Lopes in the Speaker’s Chair!
May 19th, 2007 at 9:38 pm
Bradley was never going to vote for the Weiers budget, and was quite ticked off about the rumors that was going to a little birdie told me. (Right, Tedski??)
Anyway, I think that the arm-twisting done to Lopez et al seems to have done th trick for this year. I worry that the house will add poison pills to some key budget items to force Janet to veto them. Then thhey can blame her for the special session.