Give Gov. Jim Justice credit for bowing to reality and proposing a state budget more than $100 million smaller than that for the current year. But give state Senate Finance Committee members even more plaudits for cutting even deeper.

Revenue below what had been expected already has forced the governor to reduce the current-year spending plan by $17 million, down to $4.693 billion. Apparently expecting things will get worse, Justice’s proposal for fiscal 2021 is $4.585 billion.

Finance Committee members took that down to $4.558 billion — and sparked a confrontation with the governor.

Justice had proposed adding $20 million to the Medicaid Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities waiver program. It gives eligible Medicaid clients the choice of receiving services in their homes and communities instead of in institutions.

So popular is the waiver program that it has a waiting list of about 1,060 West Virginians, including about 600 children. Justice’s proposal is aimed at eliminating the wait list.

But the Senate Finance plan includes only $10 million for that purpose, half of what the governor seeks. Last week, he said he will not accept a budget without the full amount.

Finance panel members have good reasons for caution. One is that they fear eliminating the current wait list will result only in another one building up. They note the IDD waiver program already expends about $100 million a year.

Talk about a tempest in a teapot. There is no need for a budget duel between Justice and legislators.

Lawmakers should sharpen their pencils and find $10 million to cut elsewhere in the budget, giving the governor the full $20 million he seeks for IDD waivers.

No, that will not be easy. Again, both the governor and Senate Finance have included reasonably deep spending cuts. They are right to do so. Rather than drag out the budget process — perhaps opening the door to other demands for more spending — lawmakers and the governor should avoid an IDD waiver battle.