Connect with us

Virginia

Governor amends Virginia's budget bill to increase rainy-day reserves over changes in Washington

Published

on

Governor amends Virginia's budget bill to increase rainy-day reserves over changes in Washington


RICHMOND, Va. — Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin said on Monday that he hoped to bolster Virginia’s rainy-day fund by $300 million in light of economic uncertainty surrounding the White House’s overhaul of federal jobs and its impact on the state’s workforce.

At a news conference, Youngkin announced he had more than 200 amendments to a bipartisan budget bill adopted last month by the Virginia General Assembly, including trimming state spending to add additional funds to Virginia’s coffers.

The $300 million would be on top of nearly $295 million already slated to be set aside over the biennium. Youngkin said the reserved revenue would give Virginia a cushion of $5 billion.

“It enables us to feel confident that if there is a bump in the road, we can deal with it,” he said.

Advertisement

Youngkin’s announcement comes after a mix of roughly 1,000 Virginian federal workers and contractors have filed claims for unemployment since the end of January after President Donald Trump and adviser Elon Musk began cutting jobs and programs in Washington, state officials have said.

In addition to the budget amendment, Youngkin’s administration has created a job website and encouraged impacted workers to explore other opportunities in Virginia.

“President Trump has been very, very clear, and he has not shied away from the fact that there could and may be economic disruption in the short term,” Youngkin said. “As he resets things in Washington, I agree with him that we will have long-term opportunity, and that is going to be good for Virginia.”

Before 2025, Virginia was home to roughly 315,000 federal workers, according to the Metropolitan Washington Council of Government. In the past few years, the state has done well economically — its state budget had a multibillion-dollar surplus, and more people were moving to the state than moving away, officials have said.

But, as the Democratic-led legislature gaveled out of its session, some acknowledged they may need to revise the budget in light of the fiscal cuts. Lawmakers announced they would expand a previously established special session so that they could reconvene later this year.

Advertisement

Following Youngkin’s announcement, Democratic Virginia House Speaker Don Scott blasted the governor for not protecting residents.

“We need a governor who will support Virginians,” Scott said in a statement, “not cave to Trump and Musk.”

Youngkin has until just before midnight on Monday to either sign, veto or seek amendments to all legislation sent to his desk after passing the statehouse earlier this year — including the budget bill, which amends the last year of the state’s two-year spending plan.

Lawmakers will then take up his revisions and vetos on April 2.

In his original budget presented in December, Youngkin proposed providing permanent relief by ending taxes on tips and cars for lower- and middle-income earners. The Virginia House of Delegates and Senate nixed his idea. Instead, they passed a budget that would give each taxpayer a $200 rebate.

Advertisement

On Monday, Youngkin said he would support the rebates, which had bipartisan support among lawmakers.

In the budget bill, lawmakers also scrapped Youngkin’s proffer to cut off funds toward local entities that do not fully comply with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Further, Youngkin originally allotted money for a $50 million “Opportunity Scholarship” program, which would provide low-income families with vouchers to send their children to private schools. Lawmakers tossed out that idea, too.

In his amendments, Youngkin added versions of those provisions back into the budget bill.

“I pared back my request: Let’s take $25 million, and let’s provide lower-income Virginia families an opportunity to pursue an alternative education path that might fit their family and their children’s best opportunities,” he said of the scholarship program. “Why not try it?”

Youngkin also said he added an amendment authorizing the consideration of establishing Oak Hill, the home of former President James Monroe, as a state park. A bill to that effect failed in the legislature during the session.

Advertisement



Source link

Virginia

Del. Dan Helmer on Virginia redistricting and congressional run

Published

on

Del. Dan Helmer on Virginia redistricting and congressional run


Virginia Delegate Dan Helmer led fellow Democrats to major gains in November’s election. Now he’s turning his attention to the redistricting of the Commonwealth, and a run in the newly proposed 7th district. He joins Sydney Persing on The Final 5 to discuss. 



Source link

Continue Reading

Virginia

Man shot, killed by Virginia trooper ID’d after crash ends in deadly stabbing attack

Published

on

Man shot, killed by Virginia trooper ID’d after crash ends in deadly stabbing attack


Virginia State Police have identified the man who was shot and killed by a trooper after a crash ended in a stabbing attack on Interstate 495 Sunday afternoon.

Jared Llamado, 32, of McLean, died at the hospital on Sunday after he was shot.

RELATED | 2 dead, dog killed after stabbing spree, trooper shooting on I-495 in Fairfax County

Investigators said Llamado was confronted by the trooper who opened fire around 1:17 p.m. The trooper was responding to a report of a road rage incident and found Llamado with a knife, according to a news release.

Advertisement

Four stabbing victims, all women, were also found at the scene, along with a dog that was also stabbed.

Michelle Adams, 39, died from her injuries. The dog also did not survive. The three other women were all taken to the hospital with serious injuries, according to VSP. 7News is not identifying the surviving victims.

Investigators said the stabbings stemmed from a crash in the southbound lanes of I-495.

The trooper who opened fire was not hurt and is on leave pending the outcome of the investigation into the use of force.

Comment with Bubbles
Advertisement

BE THE FIRST TO COMMENT

Investigators said they do not believe the attack is connected to terrorism.



Source link

Continue Reading

Virginia

Two dead after I-495 road rage incident leads to stabbing, Virginia State Police shooting – WTOP News

Published

on

Two dead after I-495 road rage incident leads to stabbing, Virginia State Police shooting – WTOP News


A road rage incident led to a shooting involving the Virginia State Police on Sunday on Interstate 495. Four individuals were also stabbed.

Two people are dead Sunday in Annandale, Virginia, after a road rage incident led to a shooting involving Virginia State Police on Interstate 495.

A release issued by the Virginia State Police said a trooper fatally shot a man after responding to a report of a road rage incident on the southbound lanes of I-495 just before 1:30 p.m. at exit 52, near the Little River Turnpike.

The man, transferred to a hospital with serious injuries, has been pronounced dead. VSP said the trooper shot in self-defense after the man confronted him with a knife.

Advertisement

The trooper did not suffer any injuries during the altercation.

Officials found four stabbing victims at the scene, but only identified a 39-year-old woman and a dog. Both the woman and the dog died.

Early findings suggest the stabbings took place after a crash on the Capital Beltway. The crash remains under investigation.

The VSP’s release comes after the main lanes of the Capital Beltway Outer Loop, before Little River Turnpike, were closed to traffic for several hours, only recently opening the express lanes. Main lanes between Arlington Boulevard and the Little River Turnpike remain closed.

Stay with WTOP for the latest developments.

Advertisement

Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

© 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending