Gov. Butch Otter plan for coping with the $151 million budget shortfall this year calls for covering 65 percent through holdbacks - new, mid-year budget cuts - and working with agency heads to find additional savings to cover the final $50 million. "If we can't, then there will be a discussion with the Legislature on how we can ease the pain with those rainy-day funds," Otter said. But he's not willing to look to the rainy-day funds now, except for the public education stabilization fund. He can tap the reserves only in conjunction with lawmakers, who make those appropriations.

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