The people in charge seem optimistic about tax reform.

Following an event in Lawrence on Tuesday, Gov. Maura Healey and Senate President Karen Spilka  were asked if either thought the state would see a significant tax cut package pass this year. Both said it is their hope the joint conference committee working to iron out the differences in proposals offered by the House and Senate — for more than two months now — will soon have a compromised piece of legislation for lawmakers to consider and make law.

“I am very hopeful,” Spilka said. “As I said at the end of session, we’ll pick that up immediately. I believe that we need to get that done.”

Long before lawmakers departed for their August recess, state representatives proposed about $640 million in tax cuts and were answered by an about $590 million plan from the Senate. Both plans offer cuts to help seniors, renters and low-income families, but a major difference between the pair is a House proposal to cut the short-term capital gains tax rate from 12% to 5%.

That same cut was also included in a tax reform plan offered by Healey at the start of her term, much to the chagrin of some progressives, who claimed the change would only benefit the wealthy. The governor has maintained for months she is working strike a balance between helping the state’s most vulnerable and keeping the Commonwealth competitive with other jurisdictions.

On Tuesday, the governor wouldn’t say if she would consider a plan without a change to the short term capital gains tax rate, but expressed her desire to have a bill to review by year’s end.

“Tax relief is really important — we are not finished with the work until we get tax relief,” Healey told the Herald. “I look forward to working with the legislature on a tax package that would make Massachusetts more affordable, competitive and equitable.”