TRENTONSeveralof the key principles involved in New Jerseys' government shutdownmetMondayfor the first time since theshutdown began three daysago.

Afterward, officials said the meeting didn't produce a deal needed to end the shutdown, but they did say that someprogresswasmade through thetalks.

Senate President Stephen Sweeney, Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto, and Senate Health Committee chair Joe Vitale metprivatelywith the chiefof New Jersey's largest insurer, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey,totry to negotiate a way out of the current legislativestalemateover the state budget and separate legislation to make changes to Horizon's board and operations.

Prieto said he instructed his staff to start writing a new bill based on some of the concepts that were discussed. "We're making progress," he said.

After the meeting, Horizon CEO Bob Marino described the hour-long discussion as "productive" and a "good conversation."

"Certainly we expressed our pointofview with respect tothe bill that has been drafted. The Speaker and the Senate President understood myperspectiveand my point of view,"Marinosaid. "I think we all realize that Horizon didn't ask to be in the middle of this situation but I doappreciatethe opportunity to have met with them and expressed my concerns with the bill. I think it was a good conversation. I think it was very productive. I think there was a lot of open minds in the room, and we'll see where it goes from here."

Prieto said he planned to meetwith Sweeney and Vitale again later, but did not specify when.

Vitale, D-19 of Woodbridge,said he believed some progress was made.

"I wouldn't say we're closer, but we're not further apart," he said. "It was progress. We'll find out later if it's substantial."

Marino agreed to meet with thethree lawmakers Monday afternoon after Sweeney publicly demanded a meeting Sunday, arguing that "like it or not, they are part of the conversation."

Horizon is at the center of the budget impasse because Christie has tied approval of Horizon bill to the approval of the Democrats' proposed $34.7 billion budget. If lawmakers send him the budget without Horizon legislation, he has said he'll use his line-item veto authority to eliminate some $350 million in spending that Democrats want, notably additional aid for underfunded schools.

The Senate has already approved a Horizon reform bill, but Prieto has refused to allow the Assembly to take it up. However, the speaker also hasn't succeeded in mustering enough votes to advance the budget from the Assembly, as a block of close to two dozen Democrats have refused to support passing a budget bill alone because of Christie's promise to use his line-item veto on it.

Meanwhile, Sweeney has held off allowing his chamber to vote on the proposed budget until the Assembly takes action on a Horizon bill.

During a morning news conference, Sweeney said he wasfighting for a deal so that crucial funding for schools and other programs, including nonpublic schools, services for domestic violence victims, nutrition assistance and pay raises for home health aides, would not be cut.

"There's two issues here. One is Horizon. The other is maintainingpriorities we have fought for years in the budget," Sweeney, D-3rdof West Deptford said, adding later that hewas encouraged the meetingwith Marino and Prietowashappening.

"I think it's very positive development that I called a meeting and they said 'yes'," Sweeneysaid.

But he also cautioned thatthe shutdown wouldn't likely end Monday, even if a deal is reachedbecause new legislation will likely need to be drafted, debated and approved.

"It couldn't end today if we wanted it to," Sweeney said.

Prior to the meeting, Prieto said he was looking for a way forward.

"This is about getting a skeleton of how we move forward and do something after we get a budget," he said. "I'm willing to compromise, butit has to be properly vetted."

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NJ Lawmakers, Horizon CEO claim "progress," but shutdown continues - Burlington County Times