Virginia legislators will be dealing with money issues during this session

The 2008 Virginia General Assembly session – which got under way last week – promises to be all about money, Southwest Virginia’s lawmakers say.

Delegates and senators will deal with a revenue shortfall and craft a two-year spending plan at a time when the state’s economy is slowing.

They are also working on dozens of bills relating to issues in the localities they represent.

The legislature will examine Gov. Tim Kaine’s budget proposal, which includes addressing the $641 million shortfall in the current budget. The governor wants to take $261 million from the state’s rainy-day fund, cut $300 million in spending and use $96 million in funds saved from various agencies.

Sen. William Wampler, R-Bristol, serves on the powerful Senate Finance Committee, a body that will create its own budget as an alternative to the governor’s plan.

"I do not support tapping the rainy-day fund to support new spending," Wampler said last week.

He recalls when the late Sen. John Buchanan, a Southwest Virginia lawmaker, first came up with the legislation to create the fund. Wampler said its intent was to give Virginia a cushion to get through lean financial times.

"We ought to create a savings account for the state to get us through the tough times," Wampler said.

Virginia is in lean times, he said. Some, including the governor, estimate that Virginia’s revenue growth will be 6 percent, but Wampler disagrees.

Less revenue growth means some lawmakers will want to reduce revenue projections, and that means less money to spend, he said.

"I hope I’m wrong, but I’m afraid I’m right," Wampler said.

Delegate Bud Phillips, D-Sandy Ridge, serves on the House Appropriations Committee and also has concerns about the state spending plans.

"The real issue is the budget," Phillips said. "The budget issue is square in front of us, and the economy is limping along. We are not seeing the growth that we normally see, so do we make cuts now or use the rainy-day fund? There are different points of view right now."

Phillips agrees with Wampler that the intent of the fund was to save during good times in preparation for the tough times. The money is designed to smooth out the bad years so Virginia has few peaks and valleys in its spending programs, Phillips said.

"The governor has indicated 5 percent across-the-board cuts or higher. If we don’t use the rainy-day fund, there will have to be more cuts," Phillips said.

Wampler is concerned with the proposed $1.6 billion bond proposal to fund various projects.

"I don’t know that we need to use the state’s credit card to go in debt $1.6 billion," the senator said.

There are other ways to fund capital improvements and similar projects, he said. Virginia has yet to finish using money from the last bond issue, he said.

"I think there is plenty of need and lots of things we’d like to do," Wampler said. "The question is, can we afford it?"

In his budget, the governor includes a series of funding proposals for mental health system improvements. The senator said he supports many and has been asking for the improvements for years.

The emphasis on mental health is a direct result of the April 16 shootings that left 32 dead at Virginia Tech.

The governor’s emphasis on funding the proposals is an opportunity to address the long waiting lists for services, Wampler said. Currently, the waiting time for a child to see a mental-health specialist is as long as 100 days, Wampler said.

"We have learned a lot from Virginia Tech," he said.

Phillips said the proposed funding for mental- health improvements will just be a start.

"We want to use what funding we have to make the mental-health system stronger," Phillips said. "I look for new laws to give us an opportunity to identify people who need help before things turn into a crisis. The way our system is set up now, it only works when there is a real crisis, and by that time, it’s often too late."

The governor’s budget also includes initiatives to expand pre-kindergarten programs across Virginia. Phillips said the question is whether Virginia can afford to do this when the economy is limping along. Funding the state’s Standards of Quality in elementary and secondary schools or school construction and renovation could be more important, he said.

"I like the pre-K programs, but let’s fund high schools and elementary schools and make sure they are in good shape," Phillips said. "I’m in most schools throughout the year in my district and there is not an overwhelming push for the pre-k programs. At a later time, when we have a good economy, we might look at it again."

Wampler also stressed the need to fund elementary and secondary education.

"A lot of priority will be K-12 funding," he said. "Things that make a difference in the classroom. The state ought to fund its share for K-12 education."

And passing the buck to localities won’t work, especially in lean years, Wampler said.

Lawmakers are also looking at specific issues related to their individual districts.

Delegate Terry Kilgore, R-Gate City, is working on legislation that would allow coal trucks delivering coal from the Virginia coalfields to Eastman Chemical in Kingsport, Tenn., to haul loads that weigh as much as typical loads in the coalfield counties. Coal trucks may carry heavier loads because a severance tax on coal produced in the region is used to fund road repairs on coal-haul roads.

Kilgore also has a bill that would allow the Virginia Resource Authority to help local governments upgrade heating and cooling systems using loan money with a low-interest rate.

Another Kilgore bill would give Scott County the right to charge a 25-cent admissions tax on those who go to the Colonial Downs off-track betting facility in Weber City. A similar measure died in committee last session.

Kilgore also is sponsoring a bill that would require people to record property deeds within 120 days of purchase.

Another Kilgore bill would set up a commission to govern the proposed Cultural Arts Center planned for Abingdon to promote local arts and crafts.

A bill by Sen. Phil Puckett would give local social services departments the right to conduct drug screening of applicants for public assistance. Those who test positive would be ineligible for public assistance for 12 months.

Puckett, a Russell County Democrat, also wants to restrict pay-day lenders with a bill that would require them to better scrutinize applicants for high-interest loans. The bill also would limit the number of loans for one person and ease payment requirements in some cases.

Phillips has drafted a bill to limit or stop Internet pharmacy companies from selling prescription narcotics to Virginians unless the pharmacy is licensed in Virginia. The bill is an attempt to curb the illegal drug trade in the region.

Another Phillips’ bill would prevent oil and gas companies from putting transmission lines within 100 feet of cemeteries.

Phillips is sponsoring a bill to require utility companies to give 90 days of written notice before implementing a price increase.

Delegate Joe Johnson, D-Abingdon, is sponsoring a bill that would formalize an agreement between the city of Bristol and the Tennessee Valley Authority regarding electricity rates.

The delegate is also a patron of a bill aimed at hunter safety. It would require a hunter or any person who accompanies a hunter to wear blaze orange clothing during any firearms deer season, including the muzzle-loader season. The bill also would increase the amount of blaze orange clothing that has to be displayed.

Wampler is sponsoring a bill that would give full-time sworn members of the enforcement division of the Department of Motor Vehicles power to enforce state laws.

Another Wampler bill would create the Southwest Virginia Cultural Heritage Commission to encourage economic development through cultural heritage ventures and tourism-related enterprises.

Delegate Dan Bowling, D-North Tazewell, submitted a bill to help Remote Area Medical and other free clinics. The bill would let doctors, dentists and dental hygienists, nurses, optometrists, pharmacists, psychologists and veterinarians licensed in another state to participate in charitable medical events in Virginia for up to three days without prior notice to the applicable licensing board.

Bowling also crafted a bill to prevent bus drivers from using wireless telecommunication devices while driving buses unless in an emergency situation.

Bowling also wants to establish the song "Cradle of Liberty," by Thomas L. DeBusk, as the official state song.

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