Recent comments on the progress of the state budget from Senate Republicans has brought criticism from House Democrats.
A joint statement from President Pro Tempore Kim Ward, Majority Leader Joe Pittman and other Senate Republicans said that while they received clarity on many of the budget issues, the Senate would go into recess until Ward called the Senate back into session to pass the final budget. House Democrats did not agree with the move, with their Majority Leader, Democrat Matt Bradford of Montgomery County saying, “We cannot hurt our school districts, our counties, our most vulnerable, by continuing, habitually, putting up with a Senate that does not work and does not come to work.”
State Representative Jim Struzzi said that work on the budget was continuing in the house and any assumptions that work was not being done were wrong.
Struzzi said that most of the policy items have been put aside for now for the budget.
Republicans are optimistic that the budget will be ready for the Governor’s signature by next week.
