Despite repeated calls for Governor Ralph Northam’s resignation, governingstill has to go on at the state capitol in Richmond. Leaders in the House and Senate unveiled budget proposals Sunday.
The House budget increases funding for schools - from kindergarten to college. Republican Chris Jones says the goal is to raise salaries for teachers and keep tuition flat.
“Financial aid is great but it doesn’t do anything to stem the tide of the increase in cost of attendance,” said Jones.
Both the House and Senate proposals raise funding for rural internet access, improving water quality, and school security.
“With significant new investments in our commonwealth and its citizens and our programs and I’m very pleased with the document that will be before the body on Thursday.”
But those investments are still a far cry from what the Governor has proposed. His budget takes advantage of a tax loophole to increase annual spending by almost half a billion dollars.
How much influence the Governor will still continue to have on this process though, remains to be seen. Jones says that despite this weekend’s events, the budget process is on track.
“We have a job to do. We put our budget out. We’ll have half sheets on the members’ desk on Tuesday... we’ll give a presentation to the rest of the membership I think on Wednesday. And then we’ll have a vote on Thursday,” laid out Jones.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
