"We are about halfway through our hearing process, but we've gone through about 75 to 80 percent of the money, as far as what we've discussed," Senate Finance Chairman Dean Cameron, R-Rupert, told the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee at the close of its hearings today. "The hearings stop Feb. 18th. We begin setting budgets on Feb. 23rd. We will be finished by March 13th." Next week, he said, lawmakers anticipate getting the state's revenue figures for January. "We anticipate working with our staff and DFM and the governor in determining a number we will budget to. That's going to be a difficult judgment call, because it's a moving target. Things may worsen before they get better."

Cameron added, "The pressure is going to continue to mount. A few of us have been through some tough years, but nothing quite like this. ... We're going to all work together to get through this. ... I think everybody in here recognizes the difficulties we're going to face."

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