Budget Chairmen: Bentley's Proposal Lacks Support

Three chairmen of the Legislature's budget committees say the governor's proposal to combine the two state budgets into one unified budget lacks the support to pass the Legislature at this point.

Sen. Trip Pittman said combing the budgets would take money from education and he can't support that. Sen. Arthur Orr says there is widespread concern about Bentley's proposal. Rep. Jim Barton says he doesn't expect much support. The chairmen said legislators are concerned that Bentley's plan could take money away from education.

Bentley has proposed combining the education budget and the General Fund budget into one budget. Bentley says he expected legislators to be shocked by the proposal, but he wants to get a discussion started about how to improve the budget process.