GOP, Democrats find common ground

Dan Kane, Staff Writer The last time Senate Republicans joined their Democratic colleagues in supporting a state budget proposal, Bill Clinton was president and Sept. 11 held no national significance.

But Wednesday, for the first time since 2000, Republicans joined Democrats to tentatively approve a $20 billion budget proposal that would increase spending by 6 percent over the previous year and calls for a record $1.2 billion in borrowing that would not need voter approval.

"I find myself in the unusual position of speaking in favor of this budget," said Senate Minority Leader Phil Berger, a Rockingham County Republican. "There’s a big difference in this budget as far as I’m concerned, and I’m going to urge people to vote for it."

There is a theme connecting Wednesday’s vote with the 2000 budget, when a $14 billion spending plan passed unanimously in the Senate. It was the following year that Senate and House Democrats, who controlled both chambers as they do now, passed temporary tax increases on the sales tax and the income tax for high earners to balance the budget. Republicans opposed the increases and have fought them as Democrats extended them twice in the ensuing years. (more…)