BUDGET TOPS $70 B
Bottom line on the 2010 budget that hit lawmakers desks Tuesday just before 3 p.m.? $70.4 billion. The House earlier proposed a $67.2 billion spending plan. And the Senate approved a $69.4 billion version. But weeks of negotiations that followed seemed only to fatten the spending plan, a swelling that occurs almost every year once anticipated federal dollars, trust funds and agency "reversions" of money are calculated. A vote on the measure Friday will be one of the last acts of the spring session.

EARLIEST SINE DIE: POSSIBLE IS 2:59 PM FRIDAY