Governor M. Jodi Rell continues to hold the budget line Friday as Democrats offered vague promises of $3 billion in spending cuts. Democrats have been back-pedalling this week since talking big about passing a budget proposal next week that would have raised taxes by $3.3 billion.

Governor Rell was interviewed today on the Lee Elci Show on WXLM    and she was tough as a diamond when asked about why.

“I want to see what the cuts are and what their tax increase are. It is easy to say we can’t take this cut, but tell us what cuts you (Democrats) can accept.”

The Governor said she wanted to review and scrub the Democratic numbers to make sure they add up. In the past, Democrats have used some pretty inventive assumptions to paper over deficits and shift costs.

The House and Senate Republican budget alternative, which has been incorporated into the second Rell budget, didn’t raise taxes and was scored as legit by the non-partisan Office of Fiscal Analysis.

“The important issue here is the tax increases, they cannot get the votes for the tax package,” Rell said. “The public should have a say in this. If you raise taxes on the wealthy, but that depends on your definition of what is wealthy.”

Rell has offered two budget proposals, the first in February, the second in May, to reflect the deteriorating economy. In each proposal, the Rell budgets did not raise taxes. The proposals called for significant cuts and consolidations along with early retirement of state employees.

Gov. Rell reported that 3,400 state employees have agreed to hit the silk and more are expected in the coming weeks.