The General Assembly will start its work tomorrow in a session that has already been billed as “challenging.”  The legislature returns for a 46-day session that will precede a House of Delegates and gubernatorial election this November.  Delegates elected this November will preside over redistricting that will occur in 2011 following the 2010 census.  In addition, the theme that will overshadow all other legislative business will be the estimated $3.2 billion budget deficit in the state’s biennial $77 billion budget.  Controversial measures to balance the state budget include new revenue of $155 million by doubling the state’s current cigarette tax and $64 million by discontinuing the practice of allowing merchants to withhold a portion of the sales taxes that they collect.  Budget reductions to trim expenditures to meet the $3.2 billion gap include eliminating raises for state employees, across-the-board cuts to a variety of state agencies and state-shared programs such as higher education, K-12 education and public safety, and policy changes such as releasing nonviolent prisoners from state prisons up to 90 days early. 

The budget recommended on December 17 by Governor Kaine included a proposed $20 million cut to the Virginia Community College System.  This is in addition to a $20 million reduction already administered last fiscal year.  Higher education overall received 17% of the budget cuts, or $284 million.  Virginia’s community colleges offer affordable access to postsecondary education and workforce training that families, employers, and communities will need to weather the curent economy.  We are experiencing record enrollment, and already serve two out of every three undergraduate students in Virginia.  Moreover, our role in putting Virginians to work and strengthening Virginia’s labor force is essential to the Commonwealth’s competitiveness. 

In addition to partnering with state lawmakers to preserve the funding for Virginia’s community colleges, other Initiatives that we will be pursuing include enhancements to two-year transfer grants, broadening the criteria for Community College foster care tuition grants, and establishing a Community College Scholarship match program. 

Please check this website often for continuous updates to determine how state funding for Virginia’s community colleges is faring during the General Assembly session, as well as links to legislation that is of interest to Virginia’s community colleges. We look forward to your comments and questions.

Posted by Ellen Davenport