Virginia Budget Passes Amid Controversy | Roanoke News

Virginia narrowly averted a government shutdown as the General Assembly passed a $75 billion general fund budget just days before the deadline, with over $200 billion in total spending. While critics like House Minority Leader Terry Kilgore slammed the delay—warning local governments are also racing to finalize their budgets—he admitted to supporting teacher pay raises. Governor Spanberger celebrated her signature move: a new statewide energy tax on data centers, projected to bring in $1.2 billion over two years to fund pay raises and future challenges like Medicaid. The budget also mandates agencies to address environmental impacts like noise and water usage from tech facilities, signaling a bold effort to balance economic growth with fiscal responsibility and public needs. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/6a84ac66b1df362b