Having negotiations on the budget among the three leaders of state government is a change from the past, when it generally involved the governor's budget directors and the co-chairs of the Executive Appropriations Committee, also known as the budget managers. However, this year Huntsman decided to handle the negotiations himself, which brought the two leaders into the room, said House Budget Manager Ron Bigelow, R-West Valley.

"It's a very interesting dynamic, to have the governor," Bigelow said. "It only made sense that if he was personally involved, then the two (legislative) leaders should be involved."

Sen. Lyle Hillyard, R-Logan, the Senate co-chair of the Executive Appropriations Committee, said that it is also a different process this year because of the timing. Last year, for example, legislators were scrambling during the final days to approve the budget, while in previous sessions it came down to the final hours. Also, with such a large surplus — the largest in recent memory — "it is much easier" to get most needs met.

"We're so far ahead of where we normally are," Hillyard said. "It's been remarkable how well the governor has worked with the leaders."

Surprisingly, that feeling of inclusion is shared by House Minority Leader Ralph Becker, D-Salt Lake, who said that the majority leaders and governor's staff have kept the Democrats updated on the process "better than in previous years." They also are working in good faith to meet some of the minority party's priorities, despite having no need for the Democrats' votes on the budget.

"We've had meaningful opportunities to participate in the discussions that occurred with House and Senate leadership," he said. "We'd love to be part of the equation . . . but I feel like we've been given opportunities."

Even when the final budget bills are approved, the process is not finished. Both chambers still have to prioritize their bills that have fiscal notes, and then the money to fund those programs will have to be taken out of the budget. They will also have to pass the "Bill of Bills," which balances the budget the final night of the session.

Those bills with fiscal notes include a number of budget priorities for the governor, such as $10 million for tourism, money for beginning teacher bonuses and the Drug Offender Reform Act, which carries a $6.2 million price tag. Another of those priorities, the corporate income tax, which would add a new formula for calculating the taxes owed by businesses as well as phase out the tax entirely over five years won preliminary approval from the Senate, 22-2 Friday. That ultimately could have a price tag as high as $200 million.

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E-mail: jloftin@desnews.com