Cole outlookfor '08 work in Richmond

January 8, 2008 12:35 am

THE 2008 General Assembly ses- sion gets under way in Richmond this week. We will address hundreds of bills dealing with everything from education to illegal immigration and everything in between.

But as usual, the budget will dominate the session. This session we actually have to deal with two budgets: We have to close out the current fiscal year and get a new budget in place by July 1.

Last month Gov. Kaine unveiled his budget proposals, which include plans to withdraw $261 million from the Rainy Day Fund, divert $180 million from transportation to other programs, and issuing more than $3 billion in new debt in order to close a projected budget shortfall and fund new programs.

The House and Senate will each make changes to the governor's proposals to develop their own budgets.

Then negotiations between the House and Senate will take place to come up with a budget that both bodies can agree on.

I expect the diversion of transportation funds to be an early casualty. Past raids on transportation are part of the reasons for our current traffic problems.

Too many governors have viewed transportation as a piggy bank to be used to bail out General Fund programs whenever the budget gets tight. This has got to stop.

I am also concerned about withdrawing money from the Rainy Day Fund right now, and the amount of new debt proposed. I think a more fiscally conservative approach is warranted, since we are in a period of economic uncertainty which is impacting tax revenues.

Taking on so much new debt and starting new programs during an economic downturn is simply not sound fiscal management. What we should be focusing on now is eliminating waste and finding new ways to deliver services in a more cost-effective manner.

Del, Mark Cole represents the 88th District in the Virginia House of Delegates, which includes portions of Stafford and Spotsylvania counties.