The Opening Budget Skirmish of Fiscal 2007-2008

The public got the first inklings of Gov. Mark R. Warner's budget proposals for the next biennium when disagreements with the House of Delegates erupted in the form of a press release from Speaker William J. Howell and House Appropriations Chair Vincent F. Callahan.

In the statement, released late Tuesday afternoon, Howell and Callahan blasted the Warner administration for "eliminating $290 million in dedicated transportation funding and elminating another $100 million for water quality improvements" in the 2006-08 state budget that the Governor is preparing.

The Guv has not at this time issued a release of his own, and I'm in no position to evaluate what's going on here. But House leaders are clearly upset by proposals to sweep away their signature contributions to the current, Fiscal 2006 budget. See press release.