diff --git a/.assurance/budget.txt b/.assurance/budget.txt
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+# Unproven-assertion budget (max counts). Enforced by
+# ~/work/lux/proofs/framework/checks/axiom-budget.sh. FAILS on any drift above.
+# Goal: decrease, never raise. Current surface (2026-06), after deleting the
+# circular/vacuous strict-atom proofs. The remaining 4 sorry + 4 admit are in
+# SUPPORTING (non-load-bearing) lemmas, disclosed in PROOF-CLAIMS; the headline
+# threshold claim is now honestly "research-only", not "proven".
+SORRY=4
+ADMIT=4
+AXIOM=0
+VACUOUS=0