RICHMOND, Va. — Is Virginia settling in for another budget battle?
On Monday, Gov. Glenn Youngkin proposed more than 200 amendments to the budget passed by the General Assembly. He did it with less than two weeks to go before the budget has to be signed into law.
In an unprecedented move, Youngkin held a press conference on his response to the General Assembly’s budget.
“I am very proud to present and release the package of amendments that come together to form the Common Ground Budget,” Youngkin said.
The press conference consisted of members of the governor’s cabinet rolling out the financial health of Virginia first. Before moving on to the programs and budget items that Youngkin prioritized.
In all, Youngkin proposed 233 budget amendments. They ranged everywhere from pay increases for teachers and state workers to health care and job creation programs. And his biggest ask of the General Assembly – to do it all and not raise taxes.
“I have ceded to them that I am no longer advocating for tax cuts and I’ve asked them for no tax increases,” he told reporters afterward.
“In the 15 years I’ve served, I have never seen a governor do a press conference regarding their budget amendments,” Democrat State Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell said.
Surovell also took issue with Youngkin’s characterization of some of his proposals.
“In the press conference the governor’s staff took credit for a lot of proposals that were in the budget by Democrats in the House and the Senate in the General Assembly,” Surovell said.
As an example, Surovell says Democrats proposed the teacher and state employee 3% pay increases.
As far as the financial health of the commonwealth, he said Youngkin’s own team has changed their tune.
“The presentation today was all rosy and sunshine as if we have lots of money to spend on everything we want,” Surovell said. “That’s inconsistent with the tone the administration was taking in December and January.”
Surovell said he and fellow Democrats will look at the amendments this week, but it looks like Virginia’s budget battle is ready for round two.
The governor was also asked: if he didn’t get what he wants from the General Assembly would he veto the budget?
Youngkin did not offer a definitive answer.