The State Senate has approved a 2004 fiscal year budget that contains millions of dollars in cuts. The package takes money from education and social services and does not include any new tax increases to replace the lost revenue. In all, the Senate passed the 13 bills making up the budget on largely partisan votes during a two-day debate. The budget now goes to the House, which could accept it and send it to Governor Bob Holden, or it could ask for a conference committee to negotiate differences between the Senate and House versions. Holden has threatened to veto the budget because of the cuts.
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