It’s touch-and-go down at the Capitol with the Senate Democrats trying hard to maintain the 32 votes they need to pass today’s pieces of the two-way budget deal.

Senate Deputy Majority Leader Jeff Klein, who was reportedly not pleased with Conference Leader John Sampson’s decision to cut a deal with Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and is very angry that the property tax cap is a non-starter with the majority, was accosted by reporters as he exited the third floor elevator outside the Senate hallway entrance and said:

“We’re conferencing it. We’ll finish the conference, and we’ll see what happens from there. I’m very confident we’ll have 32 votes.”

“…This budget is going to be done without raising taxes, other than the cigarette tax, without borrowing and real meaningful property tax relief. So, I think we’ll have 32 votes.”

Later, Sen. Darrel Aubertine, an upstater who represents a GOP-dominated district (the 48th SD) told reporters he has “concerns,” but stressed they’re being addressed by the leadership.

“We are trying to come together with a compromise that everybody can support, but not just in the Senate,” Aubertine said.

“…I’ve got concerns, and I think that those concerns can be addressed and leadership is working to do just that. So, you know, we are progressing.”

“…One of the main concerns, and we just talked about it, was, for me, and again I’m not speaking for anybody else, was the differential between upstate and downstate with regard to home health care, and I think we’ve gotten that pretty well worked out.”

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