By Joseph M. Morgan

joseph@southerntorch.com

MONTGOMERY, Ala.—

Tensions continue to mount and Alabama legislators seem no closer to finding a solution to filling the $200 million shortfall in the Alabama General Fund Budget as a special legislative session came to a close on Tuesday. Lawmakers left Montgomery unable to agree on a workable solution before the 30-day session time limit expired.

Gov. Robert Bentley is expected to call lawmakers back for a second special session. Bentley said he would give lawmakers another opportunity to reconsider his plan that calls for $300 million in tax increases to avoid reductions in state services.

Bentley was openly critical of the legislative body and their failed attempts to resolve the budget shortfall.

“The Legislature was unable to do what their only job is, and that is to pass a budget,” Bentley said in a news conference outside Alabama Capitol. That was the reason they were called in, and they have failed and they have failed the people of Alabama.

It really boils down to, are we willing to make these drastic cuts and hurt the lives of the people of this state?” Bentley continued. “Are we willing to close down state park re we willing to close down hospitals? Are we willing to tell the children of this state that they can’t get immunizations?”

The divide between the governor and lawmakers seems to have widened even further as both sides dig in, refusing to reach compromise. Governor Bentley insists that the only way to fund the budget is through new taxes. Legislators, many whom made commitments of no new taxes to voters and their constituents during the 2014, are determined not to budge.

Several proposals from Bentley were presented including a cigarette tax, a soft drink tax, ending a state income tax deduction for FICA taxes paid, as well as one plan from Senate Leader Del Marsh to shift money from the separate education budget to shore up the gap in the general fund, but none of the proposed solutions ever gained enough traction to warrant a floor vote.

Republicans have a supermajority in both the House and Senate, but still seem unable to muster the votes in either body in support of a workable solution. Just before the special session came to an end, the Senate passed a cut-filled budget that was almost identical to the budget vetoed by Bentley during the regular session. House members rejected the unrealistic measure by an overwhelming 92-2 vote on Monday night.

Bentley refused to reveal the timetable for the second special session, but said it would likely be in a few weeks. If the governor does choose to wait to call the second session until just before the Oct. 1 start of the new fiscal year, lawmakers will be under even greater pressure to get a budget approved.

Lawmakers are urging Bentley to call the second special session immediately to give them more time to find a solution, but Bentley remains skeptical despite pledges of a more open-minded consideration of his tax increases.

Bentley said his trust in lawmakers keeping their word has continued to decline.

“I have been told many things over the past few weeks that have not come to be,” Bentley said.

In the meantime leaders from the House and Senate said they are working with budget leaders now to find a solution before the second session is called and lawmakers return to Montgomery.