House members work well into the evening once again to nearly complete the initial work on the $19-Billion state budget without touching a bill that is a key to keeping it balanced. House Budget Committee Chairman Tim Green of St. Louis has decided to postpone debate on Governor Holden’s proposal to tap the Rainy Day Fund to ease pressure on an extremely tight budget. That debate will take place Monday, with Green admitting that right now he doesn’t have the necessary two-thirds majority needed to tap the fund. Lawmakers did restore $3-Million stripped by the BudgetCommittee from the Division of Liquor Control. House members took the money from court automation. They also approved transferring a million dollars from the Attorney General’s budget to help families with handicapped children. Several attempts to find money for state worker pay raises failed.
