By SANDY SEMANS
State legislators are working behind closed doors as they continue to try to hammer out a budget that was due to take effect 66 days ago.
Rumblings around Raleigh don’t bode well for progress in completion of the fiscal 2015-16 budget, but leaders announced that they will work through the Labor Day weekend in an effort to produce at least a draft common-ground appropriations bill by next week.
Among the few points known to be worked out by the two bodies are the price tag of $21.7 billion and a $750 bonus for state employees and teachers.
Policy issues inserted into the Senate version of the budget are still a thorn of contention between the two chambers. And a provision inserted into the shallow draft dredging portion of the budget during negotiations also has drawn fire for the lack of transparency and cost.
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