Seeking Stimulus Strategies

Gov. Timothy Kaine this week launched a Web site to gather project ideas for potential funding from the federal stimulus package.

The site, www.Stimulus.Virginia.Gov, will allow localities and citizens “to contribute to the decision-making process for the distribution of any federal funds that Virginia receives,” a press release said.

“While we wait to learn what conditions will be placed on the federal stimulus monies received by the states, we want to start collecting ideas from all over the commonwealth to ensure the money is spent in a timely and effective manner,” Kaine said.

Kaine has already included $350 million of expected stimulus dollars in his fiscal 2009 and 2010 biennial budget proposal, and said last month that he expects the state to receive up to $4 billion of funds from the House version of the stimulus package over the next two years. Virginia currently faces a nearly $3 billion revenue shortfall for fiscal 2009 and 2010, and some officials expect that it will grow when Kaine’s office updates the figures later this month.

The governor’s budget plan, which he presented to lawmakers last month, includes a proposal to issue $350 million of tax-exempt bonds as well as tap about $490 million from the rainy-day fund, implement a 30-cent-per-pack cigarette tax increase, and cut more than 2,000 jobs.

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