Billions sought for pet projects

Virginia's lawmakers like to tout their allegiance to fiscal conservatism, but they love spending money - no matter how much.

The annual pork run at the General Assembly is well under way, with senators and delegates seeking additional billions for their pet projects.

All told, they are seeking almost $5.2 billion for worthy enterprises ranging from education and health care to law enforcement and the environment.

The 100-member House has filed about 900 requests for budget amendments worth about $3.2 billion, while the 40-member Senate has entered 800 pleas for almost $2 billion. Some of the requests are identical.

However, there's a big problem: too many budgetary wishes and way too little extra cash.

The state's current two-year, $74 billion budget, approved just last year, is open to relatively minor spending changes this session. And there's only $545 million in surplus cash available to finance new projects and initiatives.

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine has already disclosed his proposed uses for the surplus. Both he and lawmakers will learn the winners and many more losers on Feb. 4 when the Senate and House budget committees unveil their proposed revisions to Kaine's spending plan.

The assembly is supposed to work out a compromise between the House and Senate budget plans by the scheduled Feb. 24 adjournment.