Lawmakers: Secrecy allows for smoother budget talks

It seems the Conference Committee is having a difficult time coming to agreement on the FY 2012 Budget, which was to be implemented beginning July 1st.  Some people question whether these discussion/debates should be open to the public.

"If you take it out of conference and try to put it in the public realm, then the conferees are never going to get to finishing up the budget within the time frame we need to finish," [Senate President Therese] Murray said."It's been generally known that this is the most difficult budget scenario year in probably a generation," said [Sen. Stephen] Brewer, D-Barre. "Certainly at least since 1980-81, when we had Proposition 2 1/2. There are many financial issues and public policy issues that we are working very diligently on."  [Full Article:  Sentinel and Enterprise]