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Local lawmakers weigh in on governor's proposed cuts
Local lawmakers weigh in on governor's proposed cuts
By Holly Hobbs
Times-Democrat Staff Writer
Tough times are ahead for Virginia residents, Gov. Tim Kaine (D) said last week while announcing plans to cut nearly $1 billion from the state's budget for the coming fiscal year.
“Just like families and businesses, state government is feeling the effects of the national economic crisis,” Kaine said in a statement. “We're going to have to reduce our spending to make ends meet.”
Sen. Jill Holtzman Vogel ®, who represents part of Fauquier County, said the state's budget shortfall could lead to streamlining spending.
“In a perfect economy, we were going to have a $1 billion deficit,” she said. “Let's say the economy hadn't tanked...we would still have to make these cuts and it's going to affect the localities.”
The governor's announcement, Vogel said, put everything on the table for revision.
And it is likely that the focus of the General Assembly session in January will be the economy, lawmakers agreed.
“I think there is no question that this is going to be the whole session and it will color everything that we propose this session,” Vogel said.
Specifically, legislators say cuts to transportation project funding in Northern Virginia is a concern.
“The shoe that hasn't dropped yet is the transportation funding,” said Del. C. Chuck Caputo (D-Dulles). “We're all nervous about that.”
Del. Tom Rust (R-Sterling) agreed, saying, “I think VDOT will take a lot of the cuts in their programs and their staff.”
During last year's session and special session on transportation, legislators debated the use of the state's “rainy-day” fund to fill in budget gaps for transportation needs.
The result of the debate was no action on transportation and no approval of using these funds.
The debate over using the fund to help pay for transportation projects was largely drawn along party lines, with Republicans against and Democrats for using the fund.
Now the question of using the “rainy-day” fund is not so complicated, local legislators said.
“That was a perfect example about why you don't dip into the 'rainy day' fund during good times,” Vogel said. “It's there for times like this.”
Contact the reporter at hhobbs@timespapers.com
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