One Vermont lawmaker is objecting to the way cuts were made to the state budget to address a $46 million budget shortfall.
Democratic Rep. Paul Poirer of Barre says a small group of legislators and the governor should not be able to make substantial budget cuts during the off-session.
Under Vermont law, the governor can make two rounds of cuts of less than one percentage point each. Anything more must be approved by of the 10-member Joint Fiscal Committee.
Poirer says this year – with several rounds of budget cuts – the process has gone farther than the law intended.
He plans to introduce a bill this week that would require the full Legislature to be called back if larger cuts are made.
Gov. Jim Douglas says that would be impractical.