Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, February 20, 1994 TAG: 9402200091
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: D-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
The Senate Finance Committee and the House Appropriations Committee meet today to vote on their budget amendments. Thursday is the deadline for the House and Senate to act on their versions of the budget.
A conference committee of three senators and three delegates will work out a budget compromise before the session adjourns March 12.
Former Gov. Douglas Wilder and Gov. George Allen already have had a say on the budget. Wilder proposed the spending plan before he left office last month, and Allen has since suggested $89.5 million in amendments.
The major initiative being considered by the budget committees would spend $103 million on school disparity. The money would go to poor schools to hire more kindergarten through third-grade teachers, expand preschool programs for 4-year-olds and improve technology.
House Majority Leader Richard Cranwell, D-Roanoke County, said there is a "substantial likelihood" that both the Senate and House committees will support the plan.
The funding would come from a $73 million revenue increase projected by Allen and $33 million from keeping the sales tax on nonprescription drugs and delaying other tax breaks. Wilder had proposed repealing the sales tax on over-the-counter drugs.
Allen has not said whether he supports keeping the tax but has said he will negotiate with assembly leaders on the school plan.
Allen wants the budget to set aside $30 million toward a settlement with federal retirees who were taxed illegally. The governor said Friday the retirees may be owed as much as $700 million in refunds, up from the previous estimate of $500 million.
The governor also wants to increase funding to state colleges and universities by $23 million.
Keywords:
GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1994
by CNB