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Houck appointed to negotiate budget

State Sen. Edd Houck named to powerful state legislative panel that will come up with compromise budget

By CHELYEN DAVIS

Date published: 2/17/2005

RICHMOND--For the first time, Sen. Edd Houck, D-Spotsylvania, has been named to the state Senate's budget-negotiating team.

Houck will join Sen. John Chichester, R-Northumberland, who is chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and head of the Senate budget conferees.

The budget negotiators--usually a bipartisan group of four or five senior members from each chamber--are responsible for hammering out a compromise between the House and Senate budget proposals.

The 11 conferees will start that work early next week. Once a compromise budget is approved by both houses, it goes to the governor for his signature.

Chichester named Houck, a 22-year veteran of the Senate, to the influential group.

He said he chose Houck because of his background in education. Houck has been a teacher and school administrator in Spotsylvania County and Fredericksburg.

"Edd will bring that perspective to the table and join me as we discuss public and higher education," Chichester said yesterday.

Chichester also noted that the House budget conferees include a teacher and an administrator.

Education--K-12 and higher education--accounts for a large portion of state spending, and is always a point of contention in budget negotiations.

Houck said he is "very humbled and proud" to be named to the budget conference committee.

"It was nice that [Chichester] would recognize that I have some working knowledge in these areas," Houck said.

He said his aim is to support the Senate's position and work to get a compromise on the $63 billion budget in a timely manner.

Last year, the budget impasse between the House and Senate took months to resolve.

A third Fredericksburg-area lawmaker--House Speaker Bill Howell, R-Stafford--also has a role in the budget talks; Howell names the budget negotiators for the House.

Yesterday, Howell appointed Republicans Vincent F. Callahan Jr. of Fairfax County, Phillip A. Hamilton of Newport News, M. Kirkland Cox of Colonial Heights and Leo C. Wardrup Jr. of Virginia Beach; independent Lacey Putney of Bedford; and Democrat Johnny S. Joannou of Portsmouth.

In addition to Chichester and Houck, the Senate appointed Republicans Walter A. Stosch of Henrico and William Wampler of Bristol and Democrat Charles J. Colgan of Prince William.

The conferees' task is to negotiate the differences in the House and Senate versions of the state's master spending plan and reach a compromise by midnight Tuesday, four days before the scheduled Feb. 26 adjournment.

Their compromise version will be presented to the full House and Senate for their approval.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

To reach CHELYEN DAVIS: 804/782-9362 cdavis@freelancestar.com

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Date published: 2/17/2005