Va. budgets: Pay hike, school security, road funds

Associated Press

BOB LEWIS, Associated Press, LARRY O'DELL, Associated Press

Updated: Feb 3, 2013 1:09 PM

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — State workers are a surprise beneficiary of House and Senate budgets proposed by the budget-writing committees of Virginia's General Assembly.

Under the Senate's plan, state employees, college faculty and local constitutional officers would receive a 2 percent flat pay boost — the first since 2007 — plus an additional 1 percent boost that agencies could use to prevent poaching of senior staff whose pay has stagnated.

The budget directs the legislature to expand Medicaid eligibility to comply with federal health reforms but allows the state to opt out if federal Medicaid money is cut.

As expected, some of Gov. Bob McDonnell's transportation funding reforms survive.

The House budget establishes a $30 million fund to help school divisions buy equipment to enhance security in the wake of December's Connecticut school massacre.

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