ALBANY, N.Y. -- State lawmakers and Governor Andrew Cuomo continued Tuesday to negotiate a nearly $170 billion spending plan that could reignite a push to increase pay for members of the state Assembly and Senate.

Sources Tuesday told Capital Tonight that talks were underway that would bring back a commission that would determine whether lawmakers receive their first pay increase since 1999. Legislators earn a base salary of $79,500, but many earn more through stipends for leadership posts. Legislative leaders emerged after a meeting with Cuomo not denying that a commission was being discussed.

"That is not resolved," said Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan.

But at the same time, they were also evasive on the details of how it would work.

A legislative pay commission last considered salary increases in 2016, but the panel ultimately declined to boost legislative pay amid a parallel push for an end-of-year special session.

"The last time they had a pay commission, it was basically controlled by the governor and the legislative leaders," said NYPIRG Legislative Director Blair Horner, "and because of some other deal, it blew up. That's the problem."

Horner says that if a new commission to consider a hike in pay for lawmakers is created, it needs to be independent.

"This is a political football," Horner said. "That best thing to do is take it out of the hands of the governor and the legislature and put it in the hands of an independent commission."

Meanwhile on Tuesday, lawmakers insisted they were close to an overall agreement once again, with Independent Democratic Conference Leader Jeff Klein saying there was a tentative deal.

"Well, I think we're all on the same page that we have to respond to the federal changes to the tax plan," Klein said. "I think we're going to come up with the monies for the shortfall fund for health care again in response to the federal government."

Lawmakers also confirmed a provision that would create a cashless bail system was out of the budget talks.