As they see it.

• Position: Michael Busch; John Oceguera; Becky Lockhart - Brief article

"It's a time of celebration when everyone's hopes and spirits of what they'd like to accomplish are all out there before them."

--Maryland House Speaker Michael Busch at the start of session, in the Greater Annapolis Patch.

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"I'm projecting that $2.7 billion is a tough amount to come up with. i don't know in good conscience that I can cut some of the things I outlined, and that doesn't even get us there. Am I advocating a tax increase? No. I'm advocating all the things we need to do first."

--Nevada Assembly Speaker John Oceguera, before the start of the session, in the Las Vegas Sun.

"Clearly, that is an issue that, as elected officials, sometimes we think about, but that will never happen to us. The incident in Arizona really brings it back to the forefront in terms of how we deal with security of elected officials."

--Utah House Speaker Becky Lockhart in The Salt Lake Tribune.

"While we're sitting around talking about how we're going to record votes, Rome is burning. This state is a disaster."

--South Carolina Senator Vince Sheheen about the state's budget, in the Herald-Journal.

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