Virginia General Assembly Returns $5 Million to the State

By Krystle Weeks | Wednesday, June 9th, 2010 | Policy

The Virginia General Assembly’s Joint Rules Committee met yesterday and approved $3.3 million in legislative savings for fiscal year 2010. The Joint Rules Committee consists of seven House of Delegates members and seven members of the Virginia State Senate. Additionally, the Senate of Virginia has agreed to return $560,000 to the General Fund, while the House has agreed to return over $1.1 million. This yields close to $4.9 million in legislative cuts and savings being returned to the General Fund, as a way to help the state government live within its means.

Some of the other legislative savings include:

• Auditor of Public Accounts–$1,048,754
• Legislative Department Reversion Clearing Account–$1,000,000
• Division of Legislative Services–$579,548

House Speaker Bill Howell said in a statement:

“Just as Virginia taxpayers, families and businesses continue struggling to make ends meet and balance their finances due to the stubborn and lingering effects of the economic recession so, too, are elected representatives of the Democratic-led Senate and the Republican-led House sharing in belt tightening to reduce state government spending,” said Speaker Howell. “Last month, the House saved over $35,000 from a furlough day and previously announced $1.1 million was being returned to the general fund by the end of this current fiscal year. These latest savings continue needed legislative efforts to reduce the cost of state government to Virginia taxpayers wherever possible.”

Currently, Virginia ranks 46^th in Per Capita Spending on its State Legislature.

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