The Democratic House Speaker and Republican Senate President may be on their way to resolving the fight over Kentucky’s budget.  Actually, the House-Senate Budget Conference Committee, that is tasked with developing a compromise budget, had a rather boring meeting today.  But with disputes over tax increases, budget cuts and pet projects still looming, house and senate leaders may have to stay away from the caffeine.

And inside the governor’s office today, a new, potentially explosive battle developed, with Mayor Abramson and Steve Beshear on the same side.  They met with Senate President David Williams urging him to pass a bill that would allow tolling to pay for the Louisville Ohio river bridges and other mega-projects.

Williams rushed out of the governor’s office, not stopping to talk to reporters, but his senate’s budget includes more than 300-million dollars to fund the bridges over the next two years.

So why are Beshear and Abramson complaining?

The House-Senate Budget Conference Committee is scheduled to meet tonight with all of the tough issues still to be negotiated, like whether to raise the tax on cigarettes or cut funding for universities.

For more political and government news, check out my political blog.

Web story published by Chris Wright