As Norm at TQ notes, tomorrow is the beginning of the of the budget debate. Governor Kaine will present his plans to close the $3.5 billion budget shortfall to the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees (Virginia Pilot).
It doesn’t help that neither Kaine nor the Senate Democrats will admit to the size of the problem (VP):
The first step in the budget deliberations will be for all sides to agree on the size of the shortfall.
Computations from Kaine and his economic advisers put it at about $2.8 billion – slightly more than Virginia spends every year on public safety, including operating prisons and the State Police Department.
The House Appropriations Committee has said Virginia may be facing a $3.5 billion hole; the Senate Finance Committee thinks the revenues are $3.2 billion shy.
Looks like Jody Wagner is still controlling the Governor’s budget projections – in spirit anyway.
As for moving forward, Governor Kaine “ruled out raising taxes to solve the budget problems” (VP again). Trouble is, as Norm has noted he’s said that before, only to go back on his word.
Meanwhile, two of the three Democrats running for Governor have already opened the door to tax increases. All they need now is for the House Republicans to cave and give Kaine bipartisan cover, and then all is well in leftyland . . .
. . . which is why Speaker Howell and company must make sure it does not happen.
