The Democratic-led money committees in the General Assembly on Sunday denied Gov. Glenn Youngkin the $1 billion in additional tax relief and the proposed sales tax hike that he had asked for in his first two-year state budget. Instead, Democrats are pushing for more money to fund public education, pay increases for teachers and the expansion of mental health services.
The House budget also seeks a total of $22.5 billion for transportation funding in Virginia, including $70 million in one-time general fund support to accelerate the Interstate 81 northbound lane widening project from mile marker 116 to 128 in the Salem district — a provision that is part of the budget that Youngkin sent to the legislature in December.
“This will provide funding to enable the widening of the southbound lanes to occur concurrently with the northbound lanes and therefore saves the commonwealth about $70 million over the life of the project,” Del. Paul Krizek, D-Fairfax County, the chairman of the House Appropriations Transportation and Public Safety Subcommittee, said during the presentation of the House of Delegates budget amendments in Richmond.