July 9, 2014
Zaina Kahuk
News Writer
Headlines
Virginia has finally agreed on a budget after months of gridlock. The House of Delegates voted to adopt the budget, which will end the three-month stalemate to address a $1.5 billion dollar revenue shortfall. The big break came Monday with the resignation of Democratic Senator Phillip Puckett, giving Republicans the majority vote. The republican-backed budget ensures that Governor McAuliffe cannot expand medicaid without legislative approval. Democrats had wanted to include the Medicaid expansion in the new budget to bring healthcare to over 400,000 Virginians. The Governor quickly issued a statement last night saying, “the fight is far from over.” Money for expanding pre-kindergarten or affordable housing was not included in the budget. But the budget includes more money for mental health, to help ensure that what happened to Creigh Deed’s son, who attacked his father and killed himself after being denied care, wont happen again.
