General Assembly approves $1.4 billion construction bond package

By JEFF E. SCHAPIRO
RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH
Published: April 23, 2008

This afternoon lawmakers unanimously approved a $1.4 billion bond package to finance 75 construction projects across the state.

The projects include—in the Richmond area—a new headquarters for the tax department and a replacement for the Art Deco-era hospital at Virginia Commonwealth University’s medical campus. The Senate approved the package 38-0; the House of Delegates 98-0.

For more than four hours, the General Assembly had been drifting in and out of session, tinkering with the $77 billion budget for 2008-2010 and trying—again—to reach agreement on judges.

On the state budget, Gov. Timothy M. Kaine proposed 41 revisions, of which nine are dead. Two were defeated this afternoon in the Virginia Senate; seven earlier in the House of Delegates.

Among those failed amendments: a provision authorizing the sale of a government property in Richmond, the Dove Street armory, as well as language mandating energy efficiency in state-owned buildings. Another casualty: the addition of generic drugs to a state-sanctioned list of psychiatric medicines for Medicaid patients. One of the big drug companies pushed that addition, but the General Assembly said no.

Lawmakers shuttled between the floor and meeting rooms around the Capitol, trying to cut a deal on 36 judgeships. This is form of patronage that legislators guard jealously. However, they’re still hung up over a seat on the State Corporation Commission and judgeships in Henrico County and South Hampton Roads.

Some of these seats—including the SCC post—would be filled by Kaine appointees if the legislature fails to reach agreement.

Contact Jeff E. Schapiro at .