The Assembly approved a $145 billion budget in the pre-dawn hours of July 20 before leaving town for a four-week summer recess. But the spending plan for the fiscal year that started July 1 failed twice in the Senate -- most recently on August 1 when most Republicans refused to approve it. Republicans argued at that time that another $700 million in spending cuts were needed to balance the budget. The budget deadlock threatens to sidetrack hundreds of other issues lawmakers hope to deal with before they wrap up their 2007 session in mid-September. For many organizations and people the budget stalemate is now a crisis with some have been buying time through personal loans and lines of credit. Others are negotiating with their schools and suppliers.