The Legislature has moved with admirable speed toward a final budget package and has a chance to meet its statutory obligation of April 1, a date that has been routinely flouted in the past. Lawmakers should ignore the date again if it means building bipartisan consensus for the budget.

One important reason for passing the budget on time is to let school districts know how much money they can expect from the state through general purpose aid to education. To that end, the reporting date for the education budget was moved up last session to March 15. Lawmakers may miss that deadline, but could pass the education portion of the budget early this week.

Both Democrats and Republicans support a plan that would increase education funding by 2 percent the first year and 3 percent the second, with an annual cushion of $3 million to help poorer districts. That budget line, however inadequate, could be swiftly approved, thereby informing school districts. Legislative leaders could then go back to negotiating differences over tax breaks and state programs.

Democrats have the opportunity before April 1 to pass the budget by simple majority and have it take effect after 90 days, which coincides with the new fiscal year. If they do so, the Legislature by law ends its session and must be called back either by the governor or a majority of both parties. Democrats might get away with this, at least in the short term because hundreds of bills that have yet to be heard are a compelling reason to bring lawmakers back. In the long term, however, Democrats would be properly labeled the party that shut down the Legislature to satisfy a party agenda.

Republican senators tried muscling through legislation last session when they were the majority. Voters in November made them the minority. The Maine public understands that legislators will disagree; but they will not and should not accept lawmakers who cannot debate, negotiate and compromise.

That’s the Legislature’s opportunity now. Building bipartisan support for a budget is essential to maintaining a modicum of harmony among lawmakers. Party leaders should accept that responsibility.