Here, the governor has much more influence, legislative aides said.

I spent a year in his office as a very junior legislative aide.

These employees report to an office's chief of staff, senior legislative aide, or directly to the member.

But the three leaders have yet to meet in person or to agree on how big the deficit will be, legislative aides said.

"The problem was no communication," said a Republican legislative aide.

She had previously served as a legislative aide to her husband.

Legislative aides said spending would be less - though just barely, by about $80 million.

"In a real way, the budget will be a test of these new relationships," said one legislative aide.

"This is clearly not a normal year," one senior legislative aide said.