As workers, parents and students are dealing with a world of uncertainty, the costs of the coronavirus pandemic are becoming clearer in Virginia.
Tuesday, Governor Northam met virtually with leaders of the General Assembly’s money committees to discuss how to revise the budget in the face of an estimated $2.7 billion revenue shortfall.
Earlier this year lawmakers passed a historic budget that poured money into schools, healthcare, wages and housing. Their gains came to a halt after lawmakers agreed to freeze billions in new spending until the costs of the COVID-19 were more apparent. "We suspected it would be painful and we were right," Northam said.
Governor Northam said he plans to eventually implement the budget passed earlier this year, but for now, a lot of what was originally funded will have to wait.
Northam said that, while education remains a top priority, he’s choosing not to reinstate spending for early childhood education, tuition assistance and free community college. "To be clear, I am doing this for one reason alone: to preserve our financial options so that we can make it through this pandemic."
Cash is king, said Northam, and now is the time to focus on improving the economy with state funds and money made available by the CARES Act.
Read Northam's budget presentation
As legislators reconvene for a Special Session, the governor’s encouraging them to prioritize spending on affordable housing, access to high-speed internet, elections, historic sites and dam rehabilitation.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.