Source: Bennington Banner, March 29, 2011, Chris Garafolo “MONTPELIER — The Vermont House approved the final passage of the $4.6 billion budget for the upcoming fiscal year on Friday afternoon, after much debate from human services and education advocates. Just minutes after passing the historic health care reform bill on Thursday, House members dove headfirst into discussion about the operating budget, which takes effect July 1. Lawmakers quarreled about House Bill No. 441, commonly referred to annually as the “Big Bill,” before its final passage shortly before 7 p.m. by a vote of 95 to 34. The operating budget of $4,688,065,161 will now head to the Senate where it will likely stay in committee for several weeks. While the figure is 3.6 percent less than the state is spending in the current fiscal year, members of the House Appropriations Committee said that number is misleading because it still includes stimulus funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. When looking at the last budget without ARRA money in fiscal 2008, the upcoming $4.6 billion is a bump of 3.4 percent. Rep. Ann Manwaring, D-Wilmington and member of the appropriations committee, said when transferred items (which are counted twice) and federal funding is pulled out, there is the unduplicated number of $4.6 billion…” Full Story: Vermont House $4.6 billion ‘Big Bill’ for fiscal 2012 moves to Senate PDF of Story: Vermont House $4.6 billion ‘Big Bill’ for fiscal 2012 moves to Senate Other Coverage on House Budget: Vermont Edition with Jane Lindholm – House Passes Budget, Debate Continues
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