House Speaker Catherine Hanaway remains confident the Legislature will make its May 9th deadline to complete a budget and send it to the Governor. Hanaway retains that confidence even though the state budget approved by the Senate is much different than the one passed by the House. The Senate stuck with the traditional line-item approach, rejecting the lump sum budget sent it by the House. Hanaway says she has a short list of priorities in mind as lawmakers negotiate. Hanaway says there are indications the legislature can come up with $200-Million in extra revenue without a tax increase. She says the House is willing to consider some revamping of business tax incentives, but has no interest in putting a cigarette tax proposal before voters or in increasing taxes on casinos.
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