The Republican-led state Senate has started approving parts of the budget.
That includes a bill that cuts funding for public universities by 15 percent.
Universities could face bigger cuts if they don’t hold tuition increases at or below 7.1 percent.
Democratic state Senator Morris Hood says tuitions are already too high.
"Our profound disinvestment has led to tuition increase after tuition increase, making a degree even harder to attain," said Hood. "We’re passing this problem onto our already struggling constituents. Budgets are about priorities, and I think we are sending a clear message; the wrong message."
Republican leaders in the Legislature expect to wrap up work on the budget quickly and easily in comparison with recent years.
The budget bills will volley between the Senate and House over the next week as lawmakers try to wrap up work on the budget by next Tuesday.
Republican Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville says he does not anticipate any big battles between the Republican-controlled chambers. But he says there may be a few hang-ups over schools funding.
"The K-12 budget is one of the more complicated budgets and made some adjustments during targets," said Richardville. "That one being also being one of the biggest budgets has the highest propensity to have some problems with it. But I think those problems will be mostly technical. I don’t anticipate any problems with getting the budgets passed."
Democrats are upset that additional funds for K-through-12 schools will not go directly to reduce cuts to per-pupil funding. Additional projected tax revenue will instead go toward districts that approve cost-saving measures, and make retirement payments.
