LEGISLATURE LINGERS; BUDGET IN ABEYANCE

posted by Michael Chihak

The Legislature is past its targeted 100-day goal for adjourning the 2012 regular session, and there's no end in sight.

Or so it seems.

The way budget negotiations have gone in past years, the process -- and the session -- could linger until July, as one legislative leader said he feared, or it could be over in an instant.

More like two or three instances. Once an agreement between Gov. Jan Brewer and Republican legislative leaders is struck, expect everyone to move quickly for passage and the governor to sign.

On Friday's Arizona Week, we will get an update on the budget process -- and other work in which the Legislature is engaged -- from veteran legislative reporters Mary Jo Pitzl of the Arizona Republic and Luige del Puerto of the Arizona Capitol Times.

The governor's office and legislators are at odds over projects for how much state revenues will be in the next two years, with the governor saying more, so spend more, and legislators saying less, so save more.