The Maryland House of Delegates gave tentative approval to a $31.1 billion state budget for fiscal 2009, beating back repeated Republican attempts to cut even more spending in the face of a worsening economic downturn.

But the budget approved is $500 million less than what Gov. Martin O’Malley requested, accepting committee reductions in spending growth, transfers of special funds and delays in new programs. The House must still work out some differences with the Senate on the budget it has already passed.

In the House version, expenditures still grow by $1.3 billion in the next fiscal year — about 4 percent — a number House Republican leader Anthony O’Donnell called “excessive.” He proposed another $600 million in reductions to prepare the state for further declines in revenue.

“We can’t afford new spending programs right now,” O’Donnell said. “The U.S. and Maryland economy are clearly headed for trouble.”

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O’Donnell proposed deferring a number of programs starting this year, including the Chesapeake Bay Trust Fund, the Geographic Cost of Education Index for public schools and expanded health care coverage. He would also cut 900 “phantom jobs” in state government, which already has about 5,000 vacancies.

Appropriations Committee Chairman Norman Conway resisted further cuts, saying the legislature already had reduced spending growth $550 million during the November special session. Conway noted that with the surplus and the rainy day fund, the budget contains a cushion of almost $1 billion.

The House rejected O’Donnell’s amendment 100 to 38 in a party-line vote.

The House also rejected Republican amendments to cut $215 million in order to repeal the computer services tax, to eliminate funding for stem cell research, and to cut the salaries of the members of the Public Service Commission because they have been unable to bring down electricity rates. “Sometimes things have to be done symbolically,” said Del. Pat McDonough, who sought the pay cut at the PSC.

Baltimore County Del. Eric Bromwell, a Democrat, tried to cut $9 million for the Charles Hickey School, a maximum-security juvenile prison in his district. “The residents of this area have been dealing with the Hickey School for too long,” Bromwell said. But Appropriations Vice Chairman James Proctor, a Prince George’s Democrat, said the juveniles would simply have to be moved somewhere else.

Bromwell’s amendment failed.

llazarick@baltimoreexaminer.com