We are on our first day into the new fiscal year without a budget. What’s worse is that we are still not anywhere close to getting one done. The Democrat controlled House was up to their tricks today. They adjourned when they found out that the Republicans wanted to put up a vote to bring up the Senate’s budget. This should have been done a long time ago, but the leadership of the House, in working with the Governor, decided not to do it. The House has not produced any budget this year and won’t bring up the Senate’s version to the floor. The Governor is not negotiating further until Monday, so we are going home tomorrow. The Republicans in the Senate had an historic news conference yesterday. We all stood together and conveyed a very clear message, no Personal Income Tax increase (and I mean none) and a spending number that is less than last year’s budget. Someone is looking out for the taxpayers, and it’s not the Governor.

- John