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Leaders of both the Senate and Assembly notified lawmakers to keep their schedules clear to be in session Tuesday through Thursday of next week. No details were released by anyone involved in the negotiations about whether there actually was a deal yet.
Democratic Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker’s spokeswoman Carrie Lynch said talks were progressing “very well” and senators would not be told to prepare for session for no reason.
Negotiations among leaders of both houses intensified Thursday and into Friday as they tried to reach a consensus on a proposal that Doyle would sign.
Friday’s negotiations were done by phone as the three main players — Decker, Republican Assembly Speaker Mike Huebsch and Democratic Minority Leader Jim Kreuser — weren’t in the Capitol.
Doyle’s spokesman Lee Sensenbrenner said the governor would address questions about the budget Friday after the annual Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony outside the Capitol.
But the governor left the ceremony without talking to reporters, and Sensenbrenner later said he expected Doyle to be available Monday.
Budget talks have taken on a greater urgency given that up to $260 million in bids for summer road projects are scheduled to be let Tuesday. Doyle has said failure to get a budget deal would delay that work.
Sensenbrenner said Friday that the state Department of Transportation will decide Monday what to do about the bid letting.
Doyle and lawmakers have differed on major parts of the plan, including whether to raid the state’s transportation fund and replace the money with additional borrowing, whether to delay a $125 million payment to schools and how much money to get through a refinancing of the state’s tobacco settlement payments.
Lawmakers also are expected to pass a bill that would enact a multistate compact over protecting water from the Great Lakes when they come into session.
