While they’re required to gavel in on Friday, Jan. 2, Capitol insiders say it’s unlikely they will act on Rell’s deficit mitigation plan.

Rell’s spokesman Chris Cooper said in a phone interview that the governor believes “we need to take immediate action.” He said there’s “no good reason or any reason for that matter to delay action.”

“The governor submitted the plan on time and it’s irresponsible for them not to act,” Cooper said. “Whenever they come in reality will be waiting for them.”

“If the Democrats are serious about passing the Governor’s mitigation plan, then there isn’t a moment to lose; certainly not two more weeks. We should be in special session Friday, or at the very least be prepared to vote on opening day,” Senate Minority Leader John McKinney, R-Southport, said upon learning of the Jan. 14 date.

“Governor Rell has done the heavy lifting over the past several months, ordering rescissions and making the difficult decisions necessary to balance the FY09 budget. Now that she has all but exhausted her statutory authority to cut spending, it is up to the legislature to finish the job,” he said.

Later Tuesday evening Rell sent out a statement saying, “I am very disappointed that Democrats in the General Assembly are delaying action on addressing the state budget deficit. As each day passes our deficit is likely to increase, and each day of delay makes the job of addressing the deficit that much harder.

“However, if legislative leaders are determined not to act right away, they should at least wait until revenue estimates from the January 15 tax collections are in. Everyone agrees the deficit estimate is likely to change - and not for the better - because the January 15 numbers will be an accurate reflection of the Wall Street meltdown. My fear is that if the Legislature acts on January 14 they will be a day early and potentially millions of dollars short.”