The Senate Finance Committee is finalizing its version of the budget this week.
So far the Senate budget plan spends roughly $65 million dollars less than what the Governor proposed but $93 million more than what passed in the House last month.
That is after the Ways and Means Committee estimated $118 million more revenue over the next biennium than what the House had to work with.
The current plan restores funding cut in the House version including money for developmental disability services, elderly care and substance abuse treatment.
As well as leaving $20 million in the rainy day fund, this was taken out in the House’s plan. It also includes cuts to business taxes resulting in a revenue loss of $14 million dollars over the 2-year budget.
Senate Finance Chair Jeanie Forrester stands behind the budget.
“We made a lot of changes in the House budget, we touched probably every part of the House budget, we had to make some corrections. I think we did some good things, I think they made some good things. I hope the Governor passes the budget. I think it is a good budget,” Forrester said Tuesday at the State House.
But says Medicaid Expansion, which the Governor proposed in her version, has no place in the budget.
The full Senate is expected to vote on the proposal next Thursday.
