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Northam Outlines Proposals for Two-Year Budget, Kicking off the Third Budget Process This Year

Lawmakers at the General Assembly will take a look at the state’s budget next month -- and they got a proposed blueprint from the governor Wednesday.

If it seems like just the other day when lawmakers were reconsidering the budget, that's because it was. Starting in August lawmakers drafted a new budget for the pandemic. Now as they prepare for the 2021 session, Governor Ralph Northam is outlining his priorities for the third budget this year.

"We have crafted this budget against the backdrop of this pandemic," he said. "The plan I will present to you today is intended to help Virginians help navigate the next phase of the crisis and perhaps its final months."

Northam says he wants lawmakers to make investments in vaccination, affordable housing, skills training and early childhood education.

Finance Secretary Aubrey Layne says Virginia is actually in better shape than most states.

"When Virginia is in distressed economic times, we don't go down as much as the rest of the nation," Layne explained. "A lot of that has to do with our reliance on the federal government. Consequently also when things turn up, we don't go up as fast."

One budget proposal from the governor that's causing some amount of criticism: adding four judges to the Court of Appeals. Republicans say the proposal emulates calls to pack the United States Supreme Court, adding that they'll fight the idea when the session opens on January 13th.

This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.

Michael Pope is an author and journalist who lives in Old Town Alexandria.