HARTFORD, Conn. -- Connecticut lawmakers have adjourned the legislative session without acting on a two-year budget.

They've been unable to reach agreement with Gov. Jodi Rell over how to cover a deficit of nearly $10 billion over three fiscal years.

Lawmakers said the Republicans and Democrats remained far apart on the budget as the session ended at midnight.

“The decisions that have to be made to resolve that are very difficult and the sides are very far apart,” said Sen. Don DeFronzo, D-New Haven.

Democratic leaders stood by their plan Thursday to raise revenue with $3 billion in new taxes. They said it's better than the governor's budget, which cuts health care and programs and services for senior citizens and the disabled.

"We need smart cuts," said state Rep. Denise Merrill, majority leader. "We've heard we should cut the fat, cut bureaucracy, but these are reckless cuts."

But Republicans said that if the Democrats like their budget so much, why haven't they passed it?

State Sen. John McKinney, minority leader, and state Rep. Larry Cafero, who are both considering running for a statewide office, said these are tough cuts, but that raising taxes during a recession is the wrong thing to do.

"Enough is enough," McKinney said.

But in the final hours of the session, they managed to pass a bill that banned private ownership of potentially dangerous animals as pets, including large primates. They also passed a resolution apologizing for Connecticut's role in slavery.

Rell did not deliver her traditional speech to the full General Assembly.

Meanwhile, the Legislature automatically slipped into a special session at 12:01 p.m., giving budget negotiators time to reach a deal before the fiscal year ends June 30.

Lawmakers will likely adjourn for a week or two before the special session, which could cost taxpayers as much as $11,000 per day.