FRANKFORT — House Democratic budget-makers said Sunday they will not order local school districts to give raises to teachers and other personnel without providing the money to do so.

        Speaker Jody Richards said the House budget could provide more money to local schools than originally recommended in Gov. Paul Patton's budget, some of which could be used to augment salaries.

        Mr. Patton's budget plan would have ordered schools to provide 2.7 percent raises, but offered no additional state funding.

        About a dozen House Democratic leaders gathered Sunday to begin ironing out final details of the budget they expect to pass along to the Senate. Appropriations and Revenue Chairman Harry Moberly, D-Richmond, said the committee will likely vote on the budget Friday with full House consideration on March 12 or 13.

        Mr. Richards, D-Bowling Green, said the House spending plan will provide the $69 million needed from state funds for a 2.7 percent raise for local school personnel in the 2004 fiscal year.

        The single biggest initiative in higher education — the sale of $120 million in bonds to create research endowments, popularly known as Bucks for Brains — will remain intact in the House plan, Mr. Richards said.

        Otherwise, there will be some tinkering, but little new in the House budget.

        “There's not a lot of extra money. The governor pretty much covered the bases and that's what we're trying to do,” Mr. Richards said.

        Mr. Moberly said House actions already taken should shore up the $200 million projected deficit in Medicaid spending in 2004. While the actual budget may show a deficit, Mr. Moberly said requiring co-payments, the use of generic drugs and caps on pharmacy dispensing fees should be enough to bring Medicaid out of the red.

        The House is going to resist any temptation to delve further into the state's rainy day fund or anything else to fatten the budget, Mr. Richards said.

        “At this point, we're not endorsing any additional money from any additional taxes, from gaming or anything,” Mr. Richards said.

        The budget will also be free of the local capital construction and grants that lawmakers love so well.

        “No projects,” Mr. Richards said.

        The Transportation Cabinet, budget, though, may be an exception.

        Rep. Rocky Adkins, D-Sandy Hook, chairman of the transportation budget review panel, said the contingency fund, which allows governors and transportation secretaries a pot of money to spend essentially as they see fit, will remain at $37 million in each year. But Adkins said there may be some strings attached.

        “More than likely we'll earmark some of it,” Adkins said.

        Once the House finishes its take on the budget, the Senate will put its spin on spending and the two sides will meet in a conference committee. That usually happens in the waning days of the session, now scheduled to wrap up ordinary business on April 2.

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