Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker, D-Weston, will address Assembly Democrats next Tues., May 6, signaling a compromise may be close.

The options for closing the $525 million deficit are mostly cobbled-together short-term fixes, and if nothing is decided, Governor Doyle said yesterday we can all expect roadwork delays. If you've driven the I-94 corridor between Madison and Milwaukee recently, you're familiar with the black holes that lead to alternate universes of expensive car repair. Be scared commuters.

Thing is, the republicans need democrats on their side to wrap this up. Who's going to bend and on what?