Williams Optimistic On Future Budget Agreement

by Tony McVeigh, Kentucky Public RadioKentucky Senate President David Williams wants charter schools on the agenda of an upcoming special session on the budget. And as Kentucky Public Radio’s Tony McVeigh reports, Williams remains optimistic about a budget agreement.After lawmakers pulled the plug on the 2010 session without passing a biennial budget, Gov. Beshear promised to bring them back next month for a special session. Senate President David Williams says when he does, Beshear should add charter schools to the agenda.“If we don’t get charter schools, we’re gonna miss out on the next round of Race to the Top," he says.That’s a program pitting states against one another for hundreds of millions of federal educational improvement dollars. As to the budget, Williams remains optimistic the House and Senate can negotiate an agreement before the July 1st start of the new budget cycle."Because I know that groups with far greater differences have set down and reached an accord where they let pragmatism rule," he says.The special session will cost taxpayers around 64-thousand dollars a day.