Letter: Why I Am Voting Against the Budget
Where is the money for Silver Line Phase 2?
Since I last wrote about the budget several days ago, we have reached agreement with the House over the General Fund part of the budget. As a Senate negotiator, I am proud of the many improvements we made over the introduced budget. After years of cutbacks, we will have more funding for Northern Virginia's public schools and Virginia's colleges and universities. Mental health services for adolescents are being increased. Medicaid services our elderly, sick, and disabled neighbors will be improved. For the first time in five years, our state employees will have a pay raise. See here for a summary of the proposed budget. So why am I voting against the budget I worked so hard to improve? Because no funding is included for Phase 2 of Rail to …
Ann H Csonka
1:55 am on Friday, April 20, 2012
In Virginia -- it isn't just about the Silver Line. Gov. McDonnell's administration seems inclined to TALK about needing to diversify transportation choices, expand rail more and roads less -- but what happens? For example, the shift to the jumbo vessels that will traverse the Panamax in 2014-15 is helping drive the state's plan to build the $1.5 billion to $2 billion U.S. 460 toll road from … more ›