House GOP urged to hold the line on state budget

HELENA - As the House prepared to begin work on the $6.2 billion budget today, Republican leaders gave marching orders to their majority: Vote no.

In a GOP caucus before debate started, key Republicans urged members to resist what is expected to be a barrage of Democratic attempts to increase spending.

''We don't have any money,'' said Appropriations Chairman Dave Lewis, R-Helena. ''You have to vote no. We have to ask you to hang with us on this. This thing is balanced on a knife's edge.''

Speaker Doug Mood of Seeley Lake warned fellow Republicans that the goal of the Democratic proposals to i...