Starting over: Lawmakers, governor agree to begin anew on budget

RICHMOND, Va. (WAVY) — Virginia lawmakers and Gov. Glenn Youngkin have agreed to start over on a state budget following contention between him and Democrats over the past legislative session.

Youngkin previously slammed the budget passed out of both the House of Delegates and the state Senate, both controlled by Democrats, and took aim at tax increases in it. He and Democrats were at odds over the governor’s proposed overhaul of the new two-year spending plan, which included 233 amendments, including those that would effectively ban skill games in Virginia.

The governor was also left disappointed after a proposed arena deal between the city of Alexandria and the owner of Washington, D.C.’s NBA and NHL franchises, Ted Leonsis, fell through after the controversial development plan did not make it into the state budget. Leonsis struck a deal with D.C.’s mayor to keep the teams in the city.

They have until June 30 to reach a budget deal.

Youngkin slams Democrats’ priorities, says budget will ‘take Virginia backwards’

Todd Gilbert (R-Shenandoah County), the House of Delegates Republican Minority Leader said more time is needed, and the budget would not get done today.

“We can all find this common ground, and in a timely fashion,” Gilbert said. “We aren’t going to get it done today, and that is collectively on all of us.”

As 10 On Your Side reported Tuesday, House Speaker Don Scott noted that things were not OK with the budget, with the failure to communicate and work together apparently dooming this budget.

Budget, skill games topics for General Assembly veto session

Gilbert said they may be in a better position, now, to begin working together.

That came after Youngkin finally met with Democratic leaders to figure out the path forward.

This means a new budget.

10 On Your Side has been told that 90% of the new budget will be the old budget.

“Hopefully cooler heads will prevail,” said Virginia Beach’s Barry Knight, the former chairman of the House Appropriations Committee before being removed from it by Democrats. “People know we need to get a budget and protect our Triple-A bond rating, and I think people are starting to figure that out.”

What happens now?

“It probably will go back to committee,” Knight said. “The governor has to be involved, and the Senate and the House, and I’m sure Speaker of the House Don Scott will be involved also.”

The new budget will have a new bill number.

There was apparently a conciliatory tone in the morning when Youngkin sat down with Democratic leaders, including House of Delegates Majority Leader Charniele Herring (D – Alexandria). who stood on the House floor and said,

“He stressed a way to work together, and we look forward to working with our colleagues on the other side of the aisle,” Herring said from the House floor.

Meanwhile, more than 100 people who support skill games protested Wednesday on the Capitol grounds, many of whom small business owners.

“Don’t kill small businesses,” they chanted.

They were marching because they say Youngkin’s budget amendments basically kill the skill Games businesses.

“The bill goes to the governor’s desk and what does he decide? His amendments, his amendments, no skill games within 35-mile radius of a casino or Rosies or 2,500 feet from schools, daycare or places of worship,” said skill games supporter Munir Rassiwala.

For them, a map paints a thousand words made into a huge poster that shows Virginia, and it’s full of red — places you can’t have skill games. Scattered throughout the state are small patches in green where you can actually have skill games.

A few from Hampton Roads, including Nik Patel of Virginia Beach, were among the supporters there. Other supporters weren’t able to get to Richmond after getting stuck at the westbound tube of the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel.

“I think the governor’s policies ae very anti-small business — 100%,” Patel said. “Skill games were here long before casinos.”

They did not know when they were marching that, in about 90 minutes, the amendments for skill games would be called into question.

“I appreciate the good exchange on how to get from here to there. This was a collective decision,” Youngkin said at a hastily-called news conference that most reporters weren’t at because there was no advance warning.

Youngkin was surrounded by Democrats and Republicans — in front, the outspoken chairwoman of the powerful Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee, State Sen. Louise Lucas.

She had a lot to do with the failure of the Northern Virginia Arena deal.

“But the thing that has changed [is] there has been a lot of collaboration” Youngkin said.

Lucas immediately completed that thought.

“And I think nothing helps this process more than everyone getting together — what can we all do for Virginia,” Lucas said.

Knight said skills games could actually become part of the budget.

“That was a totally separate bill than the budget,” Knight said, “but now, probably, the skill games are going to be involved with this, which is part of the negotiations. That’s what I’m hearing also.”

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