Republican legislators want to chip away 3 percent from 11 sections of Gov. Mike Beebe's $4.7 billion budget – a cut that, according to agencies' assessments, could send at least 76 state workers packing. House Minority Leader John Burris, who crafted the GOP’s proposal, however, has said to the Arkansas News that the agencies were making the possible impact from his budget seem more severe than it would actually be.
The GOP's proposal would also change the way an increase in Medicaid would be funded. Beebe proposed a $114 million increase -- $14 million of which Republicans want to come from the state's surplus.
Beebe had told reporters, including Arkansas News, today that the GOP's budget was a "non-starter" and that his proposed budget was a conservative budget.
The Democrats have the majority in both of the state's legislative chambers, but Republicans have enough people in power to block the governor's proposal, according to Arkansas News.
