Warner says transportation
funding will face cutbacks
Gov. Mark Warner said
that Virginia would have to cut back its six-year, $10 billion transportation
agenda due to horrific overruns in the agency's budget.
The cost of several randomly
selected projects is more than two times the original estimates. Moreover,
the Virginia Department of Transportation has paid 25 percent more
to contractors over the last 4½ years, according to Richmond
Times-Dispatch.
The department will have
to slash a reported $400 million from its budget. That amount could
skyrocket to $2.4 billion if the sales tax revenue for road projects
falls by the wayside.
The state cuts could give
a boost to legislative proposals to let local voters raise local taxes
for transportation projects.
State agencies are once
again free to talk to legislators
After a decision by Gov.
Mark Warner, state agencies are welcome to talk to lawmakers, the
Richmond Times-Dispatch
reported.
This marks the end of
an eight-year rule restricting communication between legislative and
executive branches.
The order was first made
by Gov. George Allen, then softened by Gov. Jim Gilmore. It stated
that political employees first talk with governor’s office before
communicating with legislators.
Warner's move is seen as
symbolic act by the Democratic governor. Observers see it as an olive
branch being offered to the Republican-controlled General Assembly.
Tidewater cities fear
effects of state budget cuts
South Hampton Roads cities
fear that state budget cuts will force them to cut services to citizens.
Local officials fear they
will lose essential aid for schools, roads, jails, police, health
care and other significant services, according to The
Virginian-Pilot.
Officials in Chesapeake,
Norfolk and Virginia Beach are preparing for the worst. Groups most
likely to feel the blow are schoolchildren, the mentally ill, mentally
retarded and drug addicts seeking treatment.
