The receivers hope to have a deal done before summer.

Elections should not be held before next spring or summer, he said.

There are now 614, and the number is to expand by another 15 before summer.

There is last fall's sales catalogue to get published before summer.

Asked when work might resume, he said, "I certainly hope before summer."

The trade group is not expected to rule on the new legislation before early next summer.

He gave his word they would be gone before summer.

"They have time before next summer to plan a response," he said.

But there was no need at all to have to make this decision just before Christmas, rather than last summer.

"There's definitely going to have to be some type of solution before next summer."