Yesterday, Speaker of the House of Delegates William J. Howell laid out the challenges before the House of Delegates:
“Because of the weak economy and decline in state revenues, the General Assembly and Governor face the most difficult budget situation confronted by Virginia’s leaders in at least 70 years. Yet, we still have an important obligation to produce a balanced state budget.
“In sharp contrast to and unlike those up in Washington, we cannot simply print more money or just deficit spend.
“As Virginia confronts stark budget realities and forecasts of lackluster economic growth for years to come, we absolutely must focus like a laser on job creation and economic growth. That requires us to promote entrepreneurship and investment. It means holding down taxes and reducing costly regulations. And, it means making smart, targeted investments in areas that have been proven to produce positive economic return.
“We can balance the budget and lay the foundations for renewed economic prosperity if we resolve to work together, think innovatively about how best government should be structured and make the hard but necessary choices to bring state government spending in line with limited taxpayer revenues.
“The challenges before us this Session are real.
“But, so are the opportunities.
“There are opportunities to make state government simpler, smarter, more efficient and more fiscally responsible.
“There are opportunities to promote job creation, entrepreneurial investment and small business growth that will, in turn, help spur Virginia’s economic recovery.
“There are opportunities to increase the quality and number of educational choices we offer parents and students.
“There are opportunities to increase mobility and improve daily commutes.
“There also are opportunities to communicate the fact that states ought to have more parity with the federal government as the U.S. Constitution clearly intended.
