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Gov. Tim Kaine (left) greets Gov.-elect Bob McDonnell, at the Capitol last month. McDonnell says they are working together on a federal grant for charter schools.
Gov.-elect Bob McDonnell says cooperation is the key to getting things done. |
Given what governor-elect Bob McDonnell is facing, it's a wonder he ever wanted to be governor at all.
When he takes office Jan. 16, McDonnell will inherit a two-year budget, written by his predecessor, that contains about $2 billion in painful budget cuts and another $2 billion in tax increases. McDonnell has vowed to oppose tax increases, which means he'll have to oversee even more difficult budget cuts.
And that's while he seeks additional funding for programs he believes will help create jobs to help ease the recession.
"It's going to be a challenge," McDonnell said in an interview at his austere transition offices across 9th Street from Capitol Square. "There are no easy choices. We may make different choices, but they're not easy."
McDonnell, a Republican, was elected in November with a nearly 20-point margin over his opponent. He has a Republican-led House of Delegates--where he once served himself--to help smooth the way for his proposals, but a Democratic Senate could stymie him if senators so choose.
McDonnell doesn't seem inclined to incite partisan rancor, talking instead about cooperation.
"I need to get people working together," McDonnell said. "We've got to have Republicans and Democrats work together to get anything done. I've got a Democratic Senate and a Republican House, I need coop- eration to get any of these things done."
Elected on the heels of the worst recession the state has seen in decades, McDonnell said his top priority once he takes office will be revamping the budget written by Gov. Tim Kaine. Kaine made budget cuts--some of which, like a cap on state support for school staff, McDonnell agrees with; and some, like cuts to public safety, that McDonnell dislikes.
But Kaine also included some tax increases, the most prominent of which is a plan to eliminate the state's nearly $1 billion payment to localities for the car tax, and let local governments replace it with an income tax.
McDonnell says he doesn't want tax increases, but that he hasn't delved deeply enough into the budget to know just what he'd rather cut.
McDonnell is already proposing one idea to make it easier on his own successor: changing the schedule by which Virginia does its budgets. The state is on a two-year budget cycle, writing budgets in the even-numbered years and amending them in odd-numbered years, which means that outgoing governors, like Kaine, write a budget as they leave, and incoming governors inherit two years of a budget they didn't write.
McDonnell also wants to "fundamentally redo certain government agencies" to save money, but acknowledges that won't solve the budget problems right now.
"That's all going to take time--I'm not going to have all those answers in a couple of months," McDonnell said.
While he and lawmakers seek ways to make budget cuts, however, McDonnell also wants more money to boost job creation.
He said he has met with House and Senate money committee leaders and "asked them to be ready to entertain a fairly significant set of proposals from me on economic development and job growth."
Those proposals will involve more money for the governor's opportunity fund to lure new business to Virginia, and new tax incentives for the energy, tourism and film production industries.
"Even in these tough times, I'd like them to make these new investments," McDonnell said. "I think it's critically important for Virginia's future if we're going to come out of this economic downturn ahead of other states."
Education funding is also a priority; McDonnell said he and Kaine are working together on a grant application to the federal government to try to get money for charter schools.
McDonnell also wants more education funding to be directed to the classroom, and to improving science and technology education.
In his campaign, McDonnell proposed about 200 new ideas, he said. He knows he can't do it all the first year.
He's planning to announce his first-year proposals around the beginning of the legislative session, which starts Jan. 13, three days before McDonnell is inaugurated.
Other campaign promises will be tracked online, he said.
"We're still analyzing all the things I talked about in the campaign to figure out what we can realistically do, and do well, in the first session and what things are going to take a little more time," McDonnell said.
One big issue that may take more time is transportation funding.
McDonnell released a transportation plan that included a lot of ideas during the campaign, including a proposal to privatize state liquor sales, put tolls at the North Carolina border, raise some speed limits to 70 mph, and expand public-private partnerships.
McDonnell says his intention is to address transportation in his first year--but not necessarily in his first legislative session.
Asked if that means a special session, he said "possibly."
Chelyen Davis: 540/368-5028
Email: cdavis@freelancestar.com
Today, incoming Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell talks about his priorities. Tomorrow, outgoing Democratic Gov. Tim Kaine looks back on his four-year term. |
