At long last, Governor McDonnell has released his proposal for closing a massive state budget deficit. As expected, the plan relies heavily on drastic spending cuts rather than new revenue, as he had previously vowed to veto a budget that includes any tax increases. He has been harshly critiiczed by some members of the legislature for failing to make his budget proposals public thus far. The plan relies heavily on reductions in education and health care, leaving many local governments, as well as schools, health care and mental health advocates, highly alarmed.  The Senate and House of Delegates will release their budgets this weekend, at which point the reconciling and negotiating will begin in earnest.

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