In case you want a break from watching Michael Jackson tribute shows or updates on his funeral arrangements, try the Arizona State Legislature's live media service at azleg.gov. Look to the left, and click on Live Proceedings to see if our hardworking legislators are working on the budget. After all, they have until midnight to decide our future, so why not watch and see if any wrestling occurs.?

I'm hoping for a few headlocks. Is that too much to ask?

The lastest from the Arizona Daily Star's Daniel Scarpinato:

With only hours left until the end of the fiscal year, the likelihood of the Legislature passing a budget tonight that Gov. Jan Brewer will sign is still uncertain.

Republicans are openly criticizing the plan in the Capitol hallways. An important Senate committee knocked-down a key element of the package Tuesday morning. And Democrats, having been shut out of the process until now, are turning down efforts to jump onboard.

The compromise was dealt a blow Tuesday morning when the Senate Rules Committee rejected the portion that would have asked voters this fall to support a temporary one-cent sales tax increase. That’s after lawmakers spent all of Monday trying to keep it alive.

This is latest episode in the Republicans’ troubled efforts to pass a budget that Brewer will sign.

Brewer met with House Speaker Kirk Adams Tuesday afternoon, summoning in Democrats for support.

None appeared moved.

Asked if he’d be onboard when leaving the meeting, Rep. Cloves Campbell, D-Phoenix, responded: “What do you think?”

Surrounded by reporters in the stairwell while exiting the building, Brewer would not entertain the scenario of a government shutdown.

Her message to Arizonans: “I’m very hopefully that when they wake up Wednesday morning that we have a budget and that everything is good.”