Today during the Senate floor debate, Senate president Thomas V. Mike Miller shared thoughts on the pending budget package and its timely resolution. From coverage in the Washington Post:

The powerful head of the Maryland Senate warned Tuesday that because of an impasse in budget negotiations, the General Assembly may have to extend its scheduled April 9 adjournment for the first time in two decades.

“I don’t think the budget is going to get wrapped up any time in the next couple days,” said Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr. “The budget is what you are about, morally. . . We would like to make the tough decisions this year rather than put them off until a later time. Hopefully we’ll prevail, but we’ll see.”

Under state law, the General Assembly is supposed to pass a budget by Wednesday, but negotiations between the Senate and House of Delegates has routinely pushed a final vote on the plan to the last day or two of the legislature’s 90-day session.

To stream audio of the Senate floor debate for April 3, visit the General Assembly’s website here.