Virginia state legislators held a forum on the 2004-2006 state budget last night at the Albemarle County Office Building, allowing citizens to speak their mind on the unprecedented impasse between the House of Delegates and Senate.
Sen. R. Creigh Deeds, D-Charlottesville, and Del. Mitch Van Yahres, D-Charlottesville, listened as over 80 citizens, most of whom were local government officials and educators, gave short speeches in front a large crowd.
Each of the first 20 speakers strongly supported the Senate's proposed budget and urged lawmakers to avoid a referendum on the question of raising taxes, as some delegates have suggested. The Senate budget would raise revenues by about $2.5 billion, while the House budget raises revenues by around $500 million.
Most speakers focused on public education, defending the Senate proposal as the only one which would fully fund state spending on education.
"It is important to the students of Virginia that we not go backwards," said Connie Katz, who represented the Louisa County Educational Association. "We need to go forwards and give them what they need to achieve the goals we set for them."
Speakers also said the General Assembly could not continue to pass spending obligations along to local governments.
"We cannot continue going to our local Board of Supervisors for additional funding," said Jerry Canada, chair of the Roanoke County School Board.
Most of the crowd supported the speakers, frequently interrupting them with applause and waving signs saying "The Senate is Correct" and "Brighter Futures -- Invest Now."
Much of the turnout was due to the efforts of several groups, including the Virginia Education Association and the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce, who support the proposed budgets of the Senate and Gov. Mark R. Warner. The groups handed out literature before the meeting and collected signatures for referenda supporting various components of the Senate budget.
Deeds and Van Yahres briefly spoke before the forum began but otherwise remained silent. Three other local delegates and another local senator invited by Deeds to the forum were absent. Deeds explained he had not coordinated schedules with the legislators and their absence was due to their busy schedules, not a lack of concern for citizens' opinions. Deeds also briefly discussed the financial differences between the two sides' budget plans.
After Deeds spoke, Van Yahres expressed his "embarrassment" with the General Assembly's failure to pass a budget and bemoaned what he called the breakdown of civility in the legislature.
"It's a complete change as to how we talk to each other," Van Yahres said. "I'm sorry to see that happening. It's breaking down."
Although Deeds and Van Yahres professed their support for the Senate budget, they declared they were ready to listen to all citizen concerns.
"I want to hear whether or not the Republicans are right by saying we cannot ask you for additional revenue through taxes," Van Yahres said.
Collette Sheehy, University vice president for management and budget, was present at the meeting but did not speak. Some University faculty and students were scheduled to speak later on in the meeting.
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