Lawmakers are about to wrap up the General Assembly session and head home next week. But, they may end up leaving town without approving a budget.
Budget showdowns don’t happen all that often. But there are two recent examples. One in 2004, when Governor Mark Warner was pushing for a sales tax increase. Then again in 2014, when Governor Terry McAuliffe was pushing Medicaid expansion. In both cases lawmakers ended the session without passing a budget, then came back later and finished the job. Democratic Delegate Ken Plum of Fairfax County says this year’s standoff is probably headed in the same direction.
“We can’t underestimate the differences in terms of how it is that these two budgets are constructed. So to deconstruct them and get them to fit together is a monumental task.”
Lawmakers have one more week before the end of session, although many are prepared to leave town without adopting a budget. Republican Delegate Riley Ingram of Hopewell says a failure of the General Assembly to pass a budget will have a ripple effect.
"Coming from local government, my biggest concern is localities. They have to pass their budget. So they need to know how much money they’re going to have coming from the state.”
The final deadline is the end of June, when the new fiscal year starts. If lawmakers are still deadlocked then, the state government might be facing a shutdown.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
