‘Don’t know that this is the end of it’

Legislation making the 4 percent holdbacks in this year’s state budget permanent - plus adding a bit more by cutting one-time funds - has cleared the House on a 68-1 vote. “This bill is key to balancing the fiscal year 2009 budget,” House Appropriations Chairwoman Maxine Bell told the House. “It’s like working in quicksand and I think we’re still slipping and sliding. … This day has come. I’m grateful that we had the opportunity to manage the people’s income to this degree, and that we’re not in any worse shape than we are. I would ask for your support. I don’t know that this is the end of it, but this certainly is the base from which we stand at this point in time.” The one “no” vote came from Rep. Branden Durst, D-Boise. The bill, which earlier won approval from the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, now moves to the Senate.