It was likely a portent of things to come when state lawmakers adjourned for the weekend without reaching agreement on a continuing resolution to fund state government operations beyond the start of the new fiscal year on Wednesday.
The stop-gap spending measure is necessary because the vast differences in the competing budget proposals approved by the N.C. House and N.C. Senate will take quite a while to reconcile.
The $22.2 million House plan spends $700 million more than the Senate budget, which sets aside $400 million more than what the House does for reserve funds. The two plans also differ substantially on state employee salaries and transportation funding.
Republican lawmakers say they have several differences to be worked out in the continuing resolution – including funding for teacher assistants and driver’s education – but they predict an agreement will be reached by Monday or Tuesday.
They also can’t agree on how long the temporary spending measure should last, with House leaders preferring one that would run through September and Senate leaders seeking something shorter.
Lawmakers will reach a deal on a continuing resolution by Wednesday, of course – because they have to.
But talks to forge a compromise budget could well run past even September.
Substantial policy differences between the two chambers – such as on Medicaid, taxation and economic incentives – will further complicate and extend the negotiations because the Senate included them in its budget, ensuring a prolonged and potentially divisive negotiation period.
