GENERAL ASSEMBLY ADOPTS BUDGET; GOVERNOR CALLS FOR SPECIAL SESSION TO ADDRESS TRANSPORTATION

Last night the General Assembly adopted a state budget. By votes of 99-0 in the House and 26-14 in the Senate, lawmakers approved the spending plan that had forced the legislative session into five days of overtime.

The budget had to be cut by about $2 billion due to a significant decline in the revenue forecast for the next two years. Several of the Senators that voted against the budget, including two of the six budget negotiators, expressed concern the budget was based on overly optimistic revenue projections.

The General Assembly adjourned without resolving two critical funding issues: bonds for statewide capital expenditures and transportation. The legislators expect to return for a special session to deal with the bond issue the end of April. While the legislators debated a special session to deal with transportation funding, no decision was made about returning to address the issue.

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine said Wednesday night that he planned to call a special General Assembly session on transportation in the next two months. "It's likely to be soon," Kaine said. "There's a sense of urgency about this." Kaine said he would push for a two-pronged approach: regional funding plans to address transportation in Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia; and, a statewide plan to pay for maintenance shortfalls.