Appropriations committee is unanimous in passing budget amendments

Yesterday, Republican and Democratic members of the House Appropriations Committee unanimously passed budget amendments to the 2011-2012 Biennial Budget.

Speaking of the amendments, Speaker William Howell of Stafford said in a release:

“Today’s House Appropriations Committee-passed budget is a fiscally responsible package. One of its main highlights that I strongly support is the $114 million deposit into the state Rainy Day Fund, which puts us half way toward the $228 million deposit required in the next biennial budget. That’s a very sound investment during times that still call for fiscal prudence. I’m also pleased that the House budget amendments roll back over $4 million of previously authorized fees that hit our job-creating hospitality industry especially hard. Equally of note, the House budget amendments reduce previously authorized debt by nearly $120 million. Finally, the amendments further advance the interest of long-term structural balance in state finances by immediately beginning the phase-out this year, not in 2013, of the acceleration of the collection of sales tax revenues for certain businesses. If agreed to by the Senate, it would result in 98% of impacted retailers not having to accelerate their sales tax remittance.

First a transportation bill and now a budget? You’d think the House was trying to get results of something.

The budget amendments will be discussed by the full house Feb. 10.

Read more about the budget.

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JR Hoeft

Conservative to the core; liberal with his opinion! J.R. has been involved in politics for over a decade and has worked on several campaigns in Hampton Roads. He has served on the Executive Committee of the Republican Party of Chesapeake and the Central Committee of the Republican Party of Virginia. He is also the director of “Blogs United” in Virginia. E-mail J.R.. Follow J.R. on Twitter.