Let’s see…
According to this Washington post article, Virginia’s revenue picture is deteriorating [1] to the tune of more than $400 million. And that will lead to pain for public sector workers:
The budget holds most spending at current levels, eliminating raises for teachers and state employees that had been included in earlier versions.
But now we learn in this Washington Post piece [2] that there’s plenty of money to go around, including for Arlington’s trolley car line…which is getting a $65 million bump in state funding:
Aubrey Layne, Virginia’s Secretary of Transportation, told county officials in a letter Thursday that the money will allow the streetcar to be built more quickly, thus reducing costs, and accelerating the economic benefits that the county has predicted.
Layne said the commonwealth will increase its funding by using new money available for fixed-guideway projects, and covering up to 50 percent of total design and construction costs.
So which is it? Given the ability of the state’s budget boffins to move money through various channels, funds and pockets, it is entirely possible that both articles reflect fiscal reality. There’s less money to go around, but only for most things.
A less charitable view would say that the Governor’s office has done a solid for its folks in Arlington, bailing them out when even the federal government told them “no.”
He’ll collect on that favor later…