McDonnell meets House Democrats, stresses common ground

Republican Gov.-elect Bob McDonnell emerged from a meeting with House Democrats yesterday afternoon saying both sides are committed to working together to bring Virginia more jobs and economic prosperity.

"I think there's a lot of common ground that we can find on economic development, on job creation, on improving schools," McDonnell said in a brief interview after his afternoon address to the caucus. It gathered at The Crossings in Glen Allen in Henrico County for its annual fall retreat.

People on both sides of the aisle have "good ideas to help turn the economy around," he added. "We agreed we would try very hard to work together."

Democrats, already in the minority in the House of Delegates, were further weakened in the Nov. 3 election, with a net loss of at least five additional seats. A contest in Virginia Beach appears headed for a recount.

"Our message to him is that there are Virginians who are hurting, and we've got to be responsive to that," said Del. Kenneth R. Plum, D-Fairfax, chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, which extended the invitation to McDonnell.

"And we want to cooperate and work together, but we've got to move forward on some really critical issues to Virginia, like getting our economy jump-started, like getting our economy under way with a transportation plan that's workable, and we're going to insist on that," Plum added.

Democrats are opposed to McDonnell's transportation plan, which would, in part, fund road fixes by taking money from the general fund, the bulk of which is used to finance education, public safety and Medicare.

McDonnell said he pledged to listen and be accessible to Democrats, and renewed his campaign pledge to support bipartisan redistricting. Lawmakers will redraw boundaries for legislative and congressional districts in 2011, after the 2010 census.

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine has already cut $6 billion from the state budget since April 2007 because of declining revenue. Cuts of at least an additional $1 billion will be needed to balance the budget for the current fiscal year, which ends June 30.

Revenue projections going forward are likely to produce further reductions in the spending plan for 2011-2012 currently being written by Kaine, who leaves office in January.

The harsh economic realities have already forced the incoming governor to scale back some of his agenda.

"Things that I've proposed that are going to take a lot of money -- we probably won't be able to get those done the first year," McDonnell acknowledged.

"They're going to have to be second-year priorities," he added, without elaborating.

"Any new programs are going to have to be those related to job creation."

Contact Jim Nolan at (804) 649-6061 or .