A new study by the Commonwealth Institute (“provides credible, independent and accessible information and analyses of state public policies with particular attention to the impacts on low- and moderate-income persons”) blasts Bob McDonnell’s 2012-2014 Virginia budget, and rightfully so. Why? According to the Commonwealth Institute:
In his effort to balance the state’s budget and close major funding gaps, Governor McDonnell has presented legislators with a budget that ignores the reality of growing need, shifts obligations to others, hides real cuts in education funding and will cost Virginia jobs.
Instead of reforming, reallocating and reinvesting in the programs that make government more efficient, effective and accountable, the Governor’s proposal strikes at – and cuts – the core services that Virginians rely on every day while at the same time widening tax loopholes that drain yet more resources from the state…
…In addition, rather than making gains in transparency and efficiency, Governor McDonnell’s budget hides important details, and as the cuts from his budget translate into layoffs and lost jobs, the economic impact will be felt broadly across the Commonwealth.
Other than that, heckuva job Bob!
P.S. Progress VA has done some great work on the McDonnell budget.
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