Taxes and schmooze
Members of the House appropriations committee will be busy today looking at the first public drafts of that body's budget. (Yeah, yeah, the transportation subcommittee met yesterday. If you drive I-95, they're looking at tolls for that road again.)
This is the part where the honorables try to figure out how to spend the money that they agreed to raise earlier this week. The House gave final approval to a tax package Thursday, which now goes to the Senate.
In case you didn't see it in the paper, House Speaker Jim Black has promised to resurrect the proposal to hike the minimum wage. If you remember, that died during the crossover rush. But nothing the leaders in the House really like is ever dead, and apparently the "Living Wage Act" will, um, live...if not this summer then in next year's short session. Update: Find that story here.
Oh, and I spent some time at a party Thursday. All I can add is that the shrimp looked marvelous, although it's hard to eat and take notes at the same time so I can't say for sure.
I'll check back in later this afternoon.