After months of delay and stalling by 19 of 20 Senate Democrats, the Commonwealth finally has a budget. The document approved today is no different than the document rejected last night.

The difference was one Democrat who was willing to put Commonwealth ahead of partisan pressure.

Statement of RPV Chairman Pat Mullins:

“I want congratulate Governor McDonnell and his team for their success in securing passage of what has to be the single most contentious budget in Virginia history. Despite overheated partisan rhetoric, the governor kept working the problem. He and his team stayed engaged from his address to the Joint Money Committees up until today’s final vote.

Once again, this governor has shown what it means to reach across the aisle. Even when Senate Democrats dug in their heels, Governor McDonnell kept meeting with, kept working with them to resolve as many of their concerns as he possibly could.

What could have been a frozen stalemate for months was instead a deliberate negotiation that, in the end, will serve our Commonwealth well. The Governor and his team kept up the pressure to do the right thing in the face of unrelenting partisan games from Senators Dick Saslaw and Donald McEachin. I congratulate the Governor and his team for their perseverance.

I would be remiss if I didn’t also thank Senator Colgan for showing true statesmanship during this entire debate. When he and his Democratic colleagues had a differing vision for Virginia’s future, Senator Colgan was a forceful advocate for their position. But when the time came to put Virginia first, Sen. Colgan showed Virginia once again why he’s the Senate’s elder statesman.

Congratulations to both Governor McDonnell and Senator Colgan for digging deep and getting the job done for all Virginians!”