Budget Talks Continue

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Governor Steve Beshear on Wednesday called on lawmakers to reach an agreement on competing budget proposals so that he won't have to call them back to Frankfort to finish their work. But, House Speaker Greg Stumbo said budget talks had stalled, and he raised the specter of adjourning the legislative session without reaching an agreement. One of the major sticking point involves whether to pre-approve the authorization of $100 million in debt for the School Facilities Construction Commission to build new schools beginning in 2014. Late Wednesday, Senate Republicans, who had wanted to strike the authorization, agreed to keep it in the proposed budget as long as $50 million was taken from a bond pool for energy projects. Negotiations have been underway since Monday between House and Senate leaders to try to reach a compromise on a $19 billion budget that requires sharp cuts to most government agencies and programs.