By Laura Weber, Michigan Public Radio Network
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkar/local-wkar-892150.mp3
LANSING, MI –
The state Legislature has one week before lawmakers take a spring break. But lawmakers may have to put in long hours before recessing for two weeks.
AUDIO:
Lawmakers have positioned themselves for a long, grueling week of budget negotiations. Senate Republicans and Democrats are mad at each other over state employee pay raises. There's infighting among House Democrats over a proposal by Governor Granholm to find savings in an early retirement plan for public employees. And House Republicans seem to be welcoming all the Democratic discontent as they predict election gains this fall.
Some of the disagreements have to be resolved before the end of the week for lawmakers to meet a self-imposed July 1 deadline to complete work on the state budget. Without meeting that deadline, K-12 schools will not know how much money they have coming from the state when their budgets take effect.