Local governments aren’t likely to escape the pain when the General Assembly attempts to eliminate an estimated $3.5 billion hole in the next two-year budget.

Virginia transportation officials say they will have to slice $851.5 million out of Virginia’s six-year transportation plan, which has already been hit with $3.7 billion in cuts since the spring of 2008.

The state of Virginia, which already has had to cut $6 billion from the two-year budget ending June 30, 2010, may have to cut $250 million to $300 million, the House Appropriations Committee was told today.

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine said today his budget team is well into its work to cut the fiscal 2010 budget to balance spending as the state faces an expected $1.5 billion revenue shortfall.

Speaker of the House William J. Howell, R-Stafford, called today for the House Ethics Advisory Panel to investigate the conduct of Del. Phillip A. Hamilton, R-Newport News.

Bob McDonnell brought his gubernatorial campaign to Lynchburg on Friday, urging donors and campaign activists to help in a race where a president, sitting governor and national labor unions are supporting his opponent.

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine today projected a $1.2 billion decline in state revenues for the fiscal year ending next June 30.

Seven delegates from the Shenandoah Valley area tried but failed to get the General Assembly to consider a resolution Wednesday that would have reopened rest stops along Virginia’s interstate highways. 

Governor Timothy M. Kaine today released the state’s official revenue forecast in a speech to the Joint Money Committees. Below are his prepared remarks:

A change of guard at the state’s embattled info-tech department could come as soon as Thursday.

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine today is expected to call a special session of the General Assembly to deal with a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that some commonwealth’s attorneys fear could jeopardize prosecutions.

Virginia’s Republican candidate for attorney general said Friday that the General Assembly should hold a special session to deal with a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that he said could cripple the state’s criminal justice system.

Virginia will join 13 other states and the District of Columbia that have banned texting while driving when the new law and hundreds of others legislators passed this winter take effect Wednesday.

In the coming week, hundreds of high school age boys will descend on Lynchburg to get a crash course on government at the local and state level.

Virginia’s new Statewide Agencies Radio System is over budget and behind schedule, in part because of poor planning, the House Appropriations Committee was told today.