LANSING – August could become a pivotal time in terms of moving the stalled 2007-08 budget, legislative sources said Wednesday, as House Speaker Andy Dillon (D-Redford Twp.) and Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop (R-Rochester) are preparing to hold an extensive series of meetings on the budget.
Sources indicate that both Houses could be preparing for a long-day on August 22 (and House members are preparing for a long session day on August 8).
But one source also said that August 22 could be a pivotal date because, in the Senate at least, that is the first day that virtually all the members will be back. In the Senate little action is expected on August 8 and August 15 first because some members will be at the National Conference of State Legislatures annual meeting in Boston next week and second because several members are going to Israel the following week.
But several sources said the two leaders are hoping to make some breakthroughs in discussions over the next two weeks on the questions of government reforms, spending levels and revenues.
Dan Farough, spokesperson for Dillon said the leader would be meeting with Bishop as he is done over the past several months.
Farough did not indicate that August 22 was a target date for major legislative action, but talk around the House is that Wednesday will be a long day, most likely because the House Appropriations Committee is supposed to vote on all the education budgets.
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