MATT GOURAS Associated Press Writer
HELENA Democrats proclaimed Tuesday that they expect the governor’s budget will return a notion immediately dismissed by House Republican leaders. The Legislature reached the midway point with strong rhetoric over the biggest issue facing lawmakers: state spending plans and the historic $1 billion projected surplus. House Majority Leader Michael Lange, R-Billings, promised that the governor’s budget bill is dead, and will stay that way. But Democratic leaders took a different view. The Democrats hinted that they may use their votes to lock the alternative GOP budget bills in a stalemate if they don’t get the governor’s proposal, known as House Bill 2. “I’m offering the notion that we don’t want to lock up on this budget, but we may have to lock up on this budget,” said House Minority Whip Art Noonan, D-Butte. Republicans rolled out six budget bills last week that would raise state spending about 13 percent over two years, compared with an estimated 22 percent increase in Gov. Brian Schweitzer’s original proposal. Observers can’t recall a time when the governor’s budget was simply killed, rather than amended. Lange is launching the new budget strategy with just a 50-49 Republican edge. He is not likely to get much support from the sole Constitutional Party representative, and will need Democratic votes. Noonan, in a floor speech wrapping up the first half of the session, said Democrats are not willing to go along. “As we leave here, we are leaving here with a certain sense of dread,” he said. “We’re going home with the feeling that we do not have a state budget, that we don’t know what is in the budget, and very much feel there is going to be a train wreck.” Democrats argue the Republican offering, which will be in committee next week, has not received the scrutiny and study given the governor’s offering before it was killed by House Republicans. They said Republicans will recognize problems in their proposed system, and return to House Bill 2. “There is absolutely no chance of that happening,” Lange said. Democrats openly speculated that they may be able to pick off enough Republican votes on the House floor to “bust” the governor’s budget out of committee. Again, Lange said there was “zero” chance of that happening. “Your trepidation is noted,” Lange told Democrats. “Your concerns are noted.”
