Editorial Heads Up: Budget deadline looms

Friday is both April Fools Day and the deadline for passing a state budget, but this is no joke. It may well be done on time, five months earlier than last year.

Once a basic agreement is reached, the budget bills are printed, then they must age for three days before they're debated and voted on by the Senate and Assembly.

If that does get done before the deadline, it'll be thanks to the key players pulling their most contentious priorities from the discussion. The property tax cap, mandate relief, the renewal and expansion of rent control, renewal of the "millionaire's tax," caps on medical malpractice awards, and a living wage agreement for home health care workers: An on-time budget likely won't include a single one of these. But it will feature significant cuts in education and Medicaid spending.

The other battles will have to wait for another day.