IDC Leader and Senate co-president Jeff Klein insisted today to reporters there’s no split with his governing partners on the Republican side when it comes to increasing the state’s minimum wage in the budget.

“That’s absolutely not true,” Klein said after a news conference featuring “Top Chef” host Padma Lakshmi discussing health issues.

Klein, along with Republican Leader Dean Skelos and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver met privately with Gov. Andrew Cuomo this morning for the third day in a row this week as they continue negotiations on finalizing a state budget.

The lawmakers were tight-lipped when they left the meeting, essentially repeating yesterday’s scene in which they declined to give any details on the private talks.

“Do you have the tape from yesterday?” Silver asked jokingly as he left the meeting.

Silver expects to have bills in print by Monday, which could mean votes on the budget by Wednesday.

“We’re moving in the right direction,” Klein said after the meeting. “I think we’re all confident we’ll have an early budget.”

The one-house budget resolution from the Senate included language that left the door open to increasing the state’s minimum wage that sounds supportive of an unspecified hike that is phased in over three installments.

Klein and Skelos, however, disagree on how to interpret that language, with the Long Island Republican insisting it’s simply acknowledgement that the issue remains under discussion.

But Klein said today the resolution moves the wage issue a step forward after it passed on Monday.

“I think we sort of moved one step closer by actually passing I should say the framework for the minimum wage in our one-house budget,” he said.

Cuomo has been open to keeping the minimum wage increase discussion going through the legislative session if it isn’t approved in the budget. Cuomo backs a $8.75 minimum wage, while the Democratic-led Assembly broke the minimum wage out of the budget and passed a $9 increase, with future hikes tied to the rate of inflation.

But Klein said today that the wage increase should be in the budget.

“Minimum wage workers can’t wait any longer and that’s why it has to get done in the budget,” he said.

Watch Q and A with Senator Klein Here >> (TWC ID required)

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