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Houck warns localities to expect to feel pinch of state budget crisis Date published: 12/2/2009
BY DONNIE JOHNSTON
Sen. Edd Houck yesterday called the state's financial projections the worst in 50 years and warned Culpeper County supervisors that local governments will feel the impact. "You have to go back to the Great Depression to find a downturn like this," Houck, D-Spotsylvania, told the board. Houck asked to appear before the supervisors to explain the gravity of a bad situation he fears may continue through the state's next two-year budget cycle. "We expect revenues to be down between $250 and $300 million between January and the end of June," the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee said. He added that a $3.5 billion shortfall is projected over the next 30 months. "This is going to have a direct impact at the local level," said Houck, whose district includes Culpeper. "[The economic crisis] is not behind us. We're in this together." Those concerns were echoed by 30th District Del. Ed Scott, R-Culpeper. Both legislators warned that localities should be prepared to tighten their belts even more. Houck told the board that he had learned only yesterday morning that the Virginia Department of Transportation's Culpeper Dis- trict would be cut another $18 million. Both Houck and Scott, responding to a recent letter from Culpeper County Planner John Egerston, said they were not in favor of eliminating a program in which the state matches local dollars for road construction. "Revenue sharing ought to be a priority, not something we're going to cut," Scott said. Calling the transportation sector's future "bleak," Houck said he was dismayed by a recent decision to take money designated for secondary road maintenance and use it to secure federal funds (at a match of 4-1) that can be used only for primary and interstate highways. He added that an increase in gasoline taxes might be the only way to maintain the state's transportation infrastructure. Houck, who delivered similar budget warnings to the Spotsylvania County Board of Supervisors and Fredericksburg City Council last month, also voiced concerns about education funding and the immediate needs of the Virginia Retirement System. During a session that went on for more than an hour, Culpeper supervisors and county officials shared their frustrations with the two legislators. With state funding drying up, supervisors asked if the General Assembly could at least relax some of the costly state mandates on local governments. Neither legislator saw that as much of a possibility, although Houck said "flexibility is a keyword here." Houck noted the good and bad of the economic situation: Virginia is now the 11th-wealthiest state in the union, but most state agencies have been cut 25 percent to 30 percent in the past 18 months. "The cost of growth seems to be catching up with us," Supervisor Brad Rosenberger said. Houck said that federal stimulus money has "helped put a tourniquet on the bleeding," but said the wound is far from healed. "There is very little money there and more cuts are on the way," he said. Donnie Johnston:
laid the groundwork for all the "local pols" in his district regarding things to come. That much seems commendable. I thought the conversation between Houck and the Spotsy BOS was rather one way with the BOS saying little. One thing is for sure, no one can claim they were not forewarned that local areas were on their own and could expect little or no help from Richmond. But, I think we already knew that much. So, perhaps Houck is just looking for company in the "blame boat."
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