NASHVILLE -- With a nudge from Gov. Phil Bredesen, House Speaker Kent Williams and Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey met eyeball to eyeball Wednesday and struck a tentative deal on the state's budget.
"He got us back to the negotiating table, with his comments, and I appreciate him for that," Rep. Williams said of Gov. Bredesen's effort to break a weeks-long impasse on the proposed $28 billion 2010-11 budget.
Rep. Williams, an Elizabethton independent, said he "felt like it's time we have to make an agreement and get out of here and save the taxpayers some dollars. We don't need to be down here any longer. We've been here too long already."
The speaker said in the end he agreed to give up on a $16.1 million fish hatchery in his district that he hoped would create 22 jobs and generate more through tourism.
Sen. Ramsey, R-Blountville, who is running for governor, later held an impromptu news conference, telling reporters that "we're working out details to make sure there's no misunderstanding."
But he dismayed House Democrats by continuing to question whether the Office of Children's Care Coordination, which seeks to reduce Tennessee's infant mortality rate, merits renewal. Gov. Bredesen, a Democrat, created the program in 2004. Senate Republicans' plans have called for its elimination, saving $4.5 million.
"We've asked for a report, just a one-page report, 'What have you all produced?'" said Sen. Ramsey, the state's lieutenant governor. "And we've yet to be able to find that exactly. We won't cut anything back if they are legitimately doing something, but for the life of me, we can't figure out what they do."
House Democratic Caucus Chairman Mike Turner, of Nashville, warned that without funding for the program, which he said has been reduced, "then we don't have a deal." He also noted that "if saving babies' lives is not doing anything, I guess they don't do anything."
Lawmakers continued to work on ironing out details Wednesday night.
Earlier in the day, Bredesen spokeswoman Lydia Lenker confirmed Gov. Bredesen "did express some frustration that the Legislature has yet to conclude its business."
"Compared to the very serious problems other states are facing, our remaining budget issues aren't insurmountable," she said.
Led by Sen. Ramsey, Republicans had attacked the hatchery as "pork barrel" spending. Democrats said Sen. Ramsey's opposition was political "payback" for last year when Rep. Williams, then a Republican, joined with Democrats to elect himself speaker.
Rep. Williams, meanwhile, had accused Sen. Ramsey and other Senate Republicans of being "hypocritical" for cutting funding for the infant mortality program while laying claim to pro-life views.
The Associated Press, meanwhile, reported that minutes from an October State Building Commission show Sen. Ramsey voting for the design of the hatchery. He said Wednesday that he never opposed it, but he just doesn't "want it built at this time" because of the state's tight budget.
Both speakers said it is likely lawmakers can finish their annual session by Saturday if no further hitches occur.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.