RICHMOND--
Gov. Tim Kaine said yesterday that despite the need to make at least $2.5 billion in budget cuts, he is going to propose some additional spending on environmental and energy needs.Speaking to a meeting of his climate commission, which is expected to soon give him recommendations for some energy and environmental initiatives, Kaine said that while the upcoming budget process is "going to be a tough one" that will involve many cuts, "we are adding in a couple of key priorities" for environmental issues.
He also said environmental and energy issues are going to be a top priority for him in 2009, the last year of his term.
Kaine later told reporters that he wants budget cuts, and spending, to reflect priorities, as well as the effectiveness of programs. He said adding some spending while cutting other areas is what was done last year, when some programs were cut but money was added to pre-K initiatives and mental health funding.
"The key to budgets is not whether something's old or new, it's whether it works or it doesn't," Kaine said. "I'm going through it line item by line item we cut deeper than we have to so we can continue to advance."
The state budget is suffering because of the national recession, and Kaine said in September that he expected a shortfall over the next two years of $2 billion to $3 billion. Money committee lawmakers say it may be more like $3.5 billion. Kaine has already made some budget cuts, but more are coming when he introduces his budget on Dec. 17. Lawmakers will take that and make their own changes.
Legislators in the Senate and House both have already said they believe K-12 education spending will have to absorb some of the budget cuts, although during other recent economic downturns, education was spared from reductions.
Kaine said yesterday that he agrees with the lawmakers, and that there's "no way to hit the target" of spending reductions without cutting some money from education.
But, like Sen. Edd Houck, D-Spotsylvania, who runs the Senate Education and Health committee as well as the education subcommittee of the Senate Finance Committee, Kaine said he wants to focus any education cuts toward things that don't directly impact classroom instruction.
Kaine also said some education-related expenses, like need-based financial aid, could see some additional money, instead of cuts.
Chelyen Davis: 804/782-9362
Email: cdavis@freelancestar.com