House and Senate leaders said Thursday they are very close to finalizing the size of the fiscal 2019 state budget, but unresolved issues on how to deliver tax relief and fund priorities in a sustainable way are standing in the way of starting the process for shutting down the current session, reports the Cedar Rapids Gazette. House Speaker Linda Upmeyer, R-Clear Lake, and Senate President Charles Schneider, R-West Des Moines, said next year’s spending level will be higher than the current $7.254 billion revised appropriations, but they wouldn’t say how much more they expect to spend beginning July 1.