The Senate restored the $200,000 in expenses for a transition team when the next Governor takes over in 2007. Maybe the Senate knows we're going to have a different governor. Maybe they're just being pragmatic. Maybe it's a lack of confidence in Fletcher. Maybe it's an effort to tell Fletcher "you were right". To his credit, Fletcher included that transition team money in his budget proposal, just in case he doesn't win reelection. The House stripped it out.

And lastly, why didn't the Senate heed Fletcher's call to restore $140 million to the state health insurance fund? The Senate even included language that if state employee and teacher health insurance claims outstrip the budget, the extra money will have to come out of state employee salary increases. And guess who will get the blame for that? That's right, Fletcher. It makes me wonder if Sen. David Williams is running for governor and trying to figure out little ways to make life more miserable for Ernie Fletcher or if all of those budget items were decided on their own merits.