RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR)--After three times voting down the spending plan, the fourth version was passed at the Capitol on Wednesday. The House and Senate had congregated back to Richmond for “Veto Day.”
The $85 billion dollar state budget was finally passed-- that covers a two-year period --eliminating concern that state services would cease.
The negotiating point was originally a transportation issue.
The Virginia state budget, which easily passed the House, did not pass the Senate on Tuesday; the vote was 20-19.
Twenty-one votes are needed to pass the state budget. Senator Chuck Colgan (D-Manassas), who previously told CBS 6 that he was going to vote for this budget, altered his vote.
Republicans persuaded Colgan to vote with them, although funding for a Metro extension to Dulles Airport was excluded.
Colgan told CBS 6 was under a lot of pressure to vote for them. We will have continuing coverage from the State Capitol.
Governor Bob McDonnell issued the following statement this afternoon following General Assembly passage of the new biennial budget.
“I want to thank the members of the House of Delegates and the State Senate who came together, across party lines, to pass the biennial budget today," said Gov. Bob McDonnell in a release.
"In the House, there was broad bipartisan support for the document. In the Senate, it took the courage and the statesmanship of one Democratic Senator, Chuck Colgan, to secure this outcome for the good of the citizens of Virginia."
