Lawmakers sat down to balance the state's checkbook this week deciding where and how to spend your tax dollars. This week, the task fueled partisan bickering on the Senate floor.

Balancing your household budget can be a daunting task but try it with a $78 billion account, subtract lagging income, plus 140 decision makers who don't always get along and you've got the equation for a budget brawl.

Senate Democrats celebrated a narrow victory over Republicans by passing the two year budget on a 21-19 vote. However, negotiations will spice up when they meet to compromise the budget with the House, which passed its own version.

Among Republicans there has been a majority. Tight-on-spending Republicans attacked issues like expanding pre-kindergarten programs and tapping into some of the state's savings.

Reforming the state's mental health system is also a point of contention. The issue, prompted by last April's shootings at Virginia Tech, reappeared in the forefront this week after a similar shooting at Northern Illinois University. A man, who had stopped taking his anti-depressant drugs, walked onto campus and shot five before killing himself. So this issue is on lawmakers' minds as they decide how much money to set aside for these programs.

Disputes on the budget will likely draw out this General Assembly session past March 8. Lawmakers should be used to staying past deadline, since it also happened in 2006. Fights between Republicans and Democrats have dragged out holding up key legislation.