Since 1987, Jim Callahan has represented his Campbell County district in Frankfort with distinction, becoming one of the Kentucky House's most powerful and effective members.

Now serving as the Democrats' majority caucus chairman, he is retiring from the legislature this year - but he's not going out quietly.

Thursday, he created a statewide buzz by calling on fellow lawmakers to end their spring stalemate, convene a special session and pass a state budget by June 30, the end of the fiscal year. He was joined by Rep. Jon Draud of Edgewood, a Republican.

"It's time for us to put the R's and the D's aside, and recognize that we're all K's," Callahan said.

His willingness to use his prestige for this wise and statesmanlike appeal is something Kentucky sorely needs right now.

With any luck, Callahan's bipartisan plea could be the trigger that finally makes a budget happen.

Callahan, Draud and other Northern Kentucky lawmakers have reason to be particularly bitter about how the budget mess played out. The Senate plan that was on the table included more than $100 million in extra spending for Northern Kentucky projects, such as a new arena for Northern Kentucky University and a new nursing school for Gateway Community and Technical College.

The retiring Callahan "wanted a budget so bad, and this is the best budget Northern Ken-

tucky's ever had," another colleague, Rep. Charlie Walton, R-Florence, said recently.

But it was caught up in politics, particularly with the addition of Gov. Ernie Fletcher's smart but controversial tax modernization plan. Leaders of both parties share the blame for how the two issues were linked and handled in this spring's session.

Fletcher's tax plan is supported in principle by more than enough Democrats and Republicans to pass, but a few leaders in both parties, for various motives, chose to make its passage difficult, also killing chances for a budget agreement.

Meanwhile, Fletcher is developing an executive plan to run state government without a budget, much as former Gov. Paul Patton did two years ago during the previous legislative impasse.

On Thursday, state Attorney General Greg Stumbo filed suit, asking the courts to finally rule on what powers the governor has in the absence of a budget - something they ducked two years ago. Stumbo said he'll pursue the suit even if lawmakers pass a budget in June. Good. This is a constitutional matter that ought to be settled.

Even so, that doesn't relieve lawmakers of their duty to pass a budget and enact forward-looking tax reform.

They've played their rancorous, cynical game long enough, and it's costing Kentuckians, especially in our area. Obstructionists on both sides of the aisle ought to heed Callahan's advice - and soon.

If the R's and D's don't get their budget act together, K's who vote this fall will be sorely tempted to give them F's.