WASHINGTON (Map, News) - Republicans in the Virginia General Assembly vowed Wednesday to restore $180 million that Gov. Tim Kaine’s $78 billion budget borrows from the state transportation trust fund, saying he put road and transit projects on “the back burner.”

GOP leaders say using the fund for other items could jeopardize transportation projects long planned for Northern Virginia, including Route 50 improvements.

“Virginians have been stuck in traffic for years waiting in vain for promises ‘to put the money back’ to be kept before,” said Del. Joe May, R-Loudoun. “They recognize what this plan is and they know it will likely keep them stuck in traffic longer.”

But Kaine’s office responded that the two-year budget proposal uses the money on transportation when it makes the most sense — in 2010 — and spends the $180 million on other programs in the first year while the road improvements go through the approval process.

The Republicans will try to restore the fund during the months of budget negotiations ahead, said Appropriations Chairman Lacey Putney, I-Bedford, saying that anything less would question the state’s intentions to follow through on its projects.

But Kaine’s office accused the Republicans of misinterpreting the budget and misleading the public. The budget Kaine proposed funds the projects when the money is needed, he said. The money will be available to pay for the projects in 2010 as long as the General Assembly passes Kaine’s budget, Kaine spokesman Gordon Hickey said.

“This entire attack by the Republicans is completely misplaced. They’re either not reading the budget or not understanding it, or they understand it and they’re playing games,” he said. “The $180 million will be spent on transportation, on these very same projects in 2010.”

However, Putney said the state’s uncertain financial climate could limit the state’s ability to fund them.

The two-year budget would represent a $4 billion increase over the current budget and relies on $600 million in spending cuts and $260 million from the state’s emergency reserve fund.

dgenz@dcexaminer.com