RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) – The General Assembly is set to return to the capitol Wednesday and the biennial budget is still an issue.
Lawmakers cannot agree on a spending plan for the next two years, in large part because Senate Democrats are demanding a power-share in the evenly split chamber, before they sign off on a budget. They are also asking for additional money dedicated towards education and transportation.
And since localities build their budgets around the funds they get from the state, the sooner they find out the financial picture, the better.
Still, some lawmakers are saying it is not time to push the panic button yet.
Governor McDonnell is calling the delay in the budget "unacceptable". He says the delays are affecting services provided to residents like delayed tax refunds, and warns that furloughs for state workers could begin as soon as June 10th, without an agreement.
