VA Budget Fails, Is Shutdown on the Horizon?

Will the Virginia General Assembly head into a special session - or a partial government shutdown - in order to hash out the budget?

Senate Democrats, seeking more committee power and more spending, killed the only remaining state budget plan Wednesday. The $85 billion budget plan died in a partisan vote a week after the House had approved it. Democrats had already rejected the Senate version.

It is possible for a new budget plan — from Gov. Robert F. McDonnell (R) or from a legsilator — to pass before the session ends March 10. But lawmakers said that seems highly unlikely and warned that a partial government shutdown - as well as a special session - could ultimately result.

McDonnell said in a statement that Democrats' action will hurt citizens the most.

They  “appear willing to jeopardize the timely payment of the salaries of our teachers and police officers, the services our senior citizens depend upon, the resources our universities need to operate, the budgets of local governments, the funding for our prisons and hospitals, and the entire state budget to gain more power,” McDonnell said. “They have put political goals of 20 individuals ahead of the collective policy needs of 8 million Virginians.”

To read more, visit The Washington Post.