$3.7-Billion Spending Cut Fails to Garner Support in Assembly

In an attempt to garner Republican support for an overdue state budget, Assembly Democrats Monday offered to eliminate a $3.7-billion tax package by slashing spending by the same amount, with $1.5 billion in cuts falling on public schools.

In floating the proposal, which failed on a vote of zero to 49 late Monday night, Democrats sought to illustrate the effect of granting GOP calls for no new revenues to close a $23.6-billion budget gap and balance a proposed $99-billion spending package, which is now 38 days late.

But Republicans balked at the Democrats’ offer because of the heavy toll it would take on schools--a bipartisan favorite that neither party wants to slash by $1.5 billion. GOP legislators are seeking cuts that touch on a broad array of state programs and services, but that largely spare schools.