Budget tweaks could generate pushback

Youngkin unveils 38 amendments, some on hot-button issues, to hard-fought compromise

After a negotiation process that dragged on for months, Virginia legislators passed a carefully crafted bipartisan budget proposal on June 1 — now Gov. Glenn Youngkin has returned it to the General Assembly with dozens of amendments.

Del. Don Scott, a Portsmouth Democrat and the newly-elected House minority leader, slammed the governor’s recommendations on Thursday.

“We had a budget that had been compromised on by both the Senate and House,” he said. “We voted on that budget, and it had overwhelming bipartisan support. These budget amendments are against the spirit of negotiations and the spirit of the Commonwealth of Virginia.”

Among the governor’s recommendations: requiring colleges and universities to submit reports on their plans to protect “diversity of thought” on campuses; creating a new state-level felony for protesting near courts or judges’ homes; allocating funding to increase security at historically Black colleges and universities; and banning the use of state funds for abortion services.

Benjamin Melusky, assistant professor of political science at Old Dominion University, said he was surprised by the number and substance of the amendments.

“Governors do like to come back and try to push the envelop a little bit [with budgets],” he said. “That said, the number of changes — 38 amendments — that is a good bit, especially given the compromises that already came out [during negotiations].”

Reaching a budget agreement was especially challenging for legislators this year, as the General Assembly is divided with a Republican majority in the House and a Senate whose Democratic majority dubbed itself “the blue wall.”

Melusky said he expects the Senate to push back on Youngkin but he doubts it will end in a government shutdown.

“We have until June 30 to have the budget in place, and we haven’t had a government shutdown in Virginia for decades, so that would be pretty stark,” he said.

In a statement, Youngkin said his amendments were intended to expand opportunities in education and to keep communities safe.

“I believe that my amendments are necessary in order to continue the work that can unite Virginians, Republican and Democrat alike,” he wrote.

Another amendment would suspend the state’s gas tax for three months. The governor previously urged legislators to include the tax suspension in their budget proposal.

Holly Dalby, director of public affairs for AAA Tidewater, said local drivers have been hit hard this year by spiking gas prices.

“Obviously the price of gas is impacting everyone right now,” she said. “Today in Hampton Roads the average price is $4.96 for a gallon of regular — a year ago, we were at $2.90.”

Removing the state tax could help, but Dalby said it might not provide as much relief as some would hope. She said taxes account for about 15 percent of gas prices.

“Over 50 percent of that cost that we pay at the pump comes from the price of crude oil, so as that prices continues to go up, it’s going to continue to push prices up even if we pull down the tax,” she said.

Legislators will reconvene in Richmond on Friday to vote on the amendments.