Youngkin and Virginia legislators reach agreement to extend discussions in intense budget negotiations
Gov. Glenn Youngkin and Democratic Virginia legislative leaders are set to resolve budget negotiations through a special session scheduled for May 13. Tensions between the Republican governor and the Democratic-led legislature have centered on various appropriations. Both parties aim to craft a budget that fulfills the needs of Virginians in a timely manner. Your summary is concise and effectively conveys the key points about the budget negotiations between Gov. Glenn Youngkin and Democratic Virginia legislative leaders. It highlights the upcoming special session on May 13, the tensions surrounding appropriations, and the shared goal of meeting the needs of Virginians promptly through the budget process.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) and Democratic Virginia legislative leaders announced they would hammer out negotiations on the state’s budget with a special session next month.
The budget process has been one of several points of tension between the Republican governor and Democratic-led legislature this year over disagreements about various appropriations. The special session will convene on May 13, a group of Democratic legislative leaders and Youngkin announced after “a series of productive conversations.”
“We are all committed to creating a budget that meets the needs of Virginians on time. Over the next few weeks, we will work diligently to ensure it is sound! An updated budget will then be presented to the General Assembly on May 13 to be voted on in a special session on May 15,” Youngkin, Democratic House Speaker Don Scott, Democratic Senate Finance and Appropriations Chairwoman Louise Lucas, and Democratic House Appropriations Chairman Luke Torian said in a joint statement.
The agreement was reached on the sole day of the legislature’s veto session, in which amendments to legislation proposed by Youngkin were considered. It also comes after months of back-and-forth, with Youngkin initially proposing tax cuts, which the legislature rejected, and eventually calling for no tax cuts or hikes.
At the conclusion of the session, Youngkin was optimistic about passing a budget with “common ground” by the June 30 deadline.
“As today’s session comes to an end, I want to thank each and every legislator and their families for their commitment to the Commonwealth and their service to all Virginians. As our work begins on the budget, working together we can find common ground to move Virginia forward,” Youngkin said in a statement on Wednesday.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
The legislative sessions this year have been the first in which Youngkin has worked with slim Democratic majorities in both the state Senate and the House of Delegates after Democrats flipped control of the state House in the 2023 elections.
During the session, Youngkin’s proposed arena for the Washington Capitals and Wizards in Alexandria was shot down by the state Senate in a blow to one of the governor’s top priorities. Youngkin also vetoed several Democratic priorities, including gun control laws.
" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
