Lawmakers meet in private to deal with budget

Posted at: 10/21/2009 4:41 PM | Updated at: 10/21/2009 5:26 PM
By: Stuart Dyson, Eyewitness News 4; Matthew Kappus, KOB.com

A waiting game is being played at the state capitol as lawmakers go behind closed doors to smooth out conflicts and try to reach a consensus on the best way to fix New Mexico’s huge budget crisis.

It’s day five of the special session and Democrats and Republicans met in private caucuses Wednesday. Lawmakers are split over where to cut spending to make up for the projected $650 million shortfall in this year’s budget and another $240 million from last year's.

Support has failed to gel for any of several budget-slashing proposals in the works. The biggest obstacle has been the giant share of the budget that goes to public schools.

"My perspective we've got to do the best we can for our schools because it's not fair to our children to have to bear the brunt of this budget crisis, so we're looking for the best way to do that,” said Rep. Brian Egolf (D-Santa Fe).

But Senate Republican leader Stuart Ingle said every part of government can stand some cuts.

“Every part of it can, and certainly education is the last one we want to cut, and it will be cut, less than the others. But we still have to make some cuts,” he said.

The Senate didn’t start its 10 a.m. floor sessions until 3 p.m. as Democrats caucused for hours behind closed doors.

The House is expected to pass a bill to fix the leftover deficit from the last budget year—business that can’t wait until the regular session in January.

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