Lawmakers and Gov. Ventura will meet through the weekend in an attempt to hammer out a budget fix for an expected long-term deficit. Legislators have presented Ventura with a plan to fix the current shortfall, but the governor says he wants to see an outline for a long-range solution before he decides whether to sign or veto the short-term patch. Meanwhile, a dispute lingers over how much time the governor has to make a decision before the short-term bill becomes law without his signature.

	Lawmakers have made some progress towards a so-called phase two solution, but most of that involves an elimination of inflationary increases in the next budget. Ventura has said it's irresponsible to pretend inflation won't affect state spending needs, although he declines to say whether ignoring inflation will be a deal-breaker. (MPR Photo/Michael Khoo)

Legislative leaders met Friday with Ventura for more than an hour behind closed doors, hoping to persuade the governor to sign their near-term budget solution. The plan wipes out a projected $2 billion deficit in the current biennium by drawing down state reserves and cutting spending by $374 million. Ventura, however, has consistently asked for a plan that addresses not just the current shortfall but an anticipated long-term deficit that could swell to $2.5 billion in 2004 and 2005.

The governor says he'll meet with lawmakers over the weekend to sound out their strategies for the future.

"A number of times they've said this is phase one. Well, phase one, I wanted to know what phase two was going to be and, because the bearing on this bill, phase two will have a great bearing on the decision I make on this bill," Ventura said.

Lawmakers have made some progress towards a so-called phase two solution, but most of that involves an elimination of inflationary increases in the next budget. Ventura has said it's irresponsible to pretend inflation won't affect state spending needs, although he declines to say whether ignoring inflation will be a deal-breaker.

Republican House Speaker Steve Sviggum says the phase two task will be hard enough without making allowances for inflationary growth. He says no one should expect a deal as quickly as the current plan was put together.

"It may be a little more difficult because the decisions are going to be a little harder. We certainly are probably going to take a little different avenues, a little different approaches. So, it may make the decisions a little harder. But we're going to get it done," Sviggum said.

The governor has relied on tax increases and deeper spending cuts to address future deficits, and Senate Democrats haven't ruled out some tax hikes. That could force a showdown with House Republicans who have so far resisted raising new revenues.

	Republican House Speaker Steve Sviggum says the phase two task will be hard enough without making allowances for inflationary growth. He says no one should expect a deal as quickly as the current plan was put together.

Overshadowing the debate is an ongoing dispute over when Ventura actually received the phase one budget plan and how much time he has to take action on it. Legislative leaders-- and the state revisor's office - say attempts to deliver the legislation to Ventura Thursday night constitute formal presentment, giving Ventura until midnight Monday to decide whether to veto the bill.

Ventura, however, says the clock didn't begin until he physically took possession of the bill Friday morning, giving him an extra day to consider it.

DFL Senate Majority Leader Roger Moe, however, is downplaying the importance of the disagreement. "I would hope that the governor would come to closure on this one way or another as soon as possible, even before the three days, regardless of who defines when the three days are up. I just think he ought to come to closure on it so that we can move on to the second phase," Moe said.

Republican Senate Minority Leader Dick Day says he's ready to take the matter to court if necessary. And House Republicans are considering asking the attorney general for an opinion.