WASHINGTON (Map, News) - Gov. Tim Kaine on Monday proposed a handful of new expenditures for the state’s two-year budget that will cost an additional $8.9 million, including millions for a Shenandoah Valley research center and Civil War site preservation grants.

The Democratic governor said he has finished signing or vetoing the nearly 900 bills passed this year by the General Assembly, which will consider Kaine’s actions April 23. Most of the dozens of amendments Kaine added to some legislation represented minor tweaks, according to the governor, though a top Republican legislator said some of the changes to the budget could spark debate.

“We’re just getting these things for the first time and haven’t had a chance to analyze what they are and what the impact may be,” said Del. Phil Hamilton, R-Newport News, on the amendments.

One spending item adds some $4 million over 2009 and 2010 in incentives for SRI International, a nonprofit research institute that operates one of its major facilities in Harrisonburg. The money will go toward recruiting researchers.

Kaine also devoted about $5 million to the Civil War Historic Site Preservation Fund, which will be used to offer grants to private nonprofits to preserve endangered Civil War sites, among other spending items.

The expenditures are paid for through the state’s unappropriated reserve, which still has about $9 million left in it, said Kaine spokesman Gordon Hickey.

One point of contention is a measure that adds less expensive, generic versions of behavioral health drugs to Medicaid’s preferred drug list, which is expected to save the state $1.5 million over two years.

“These are exactly the same drugs, they’re just generic drugs,” Hickey said.

Hamilton, however, said the legislature has historically been reluctant to put the anti-depressant and anti-psychotic drugs, which are a significant part of the state’s strategy for treating mental health, on the list.

“Once a physician finds the regimen that works ... you don’t want to have to use the generic that may or may not have the same reaction,” Hamilton said. “We just haven’t been willing to take a chance with those folks.”

wflook@dcexaminer.com

Comments from Examiner Readers

7:42 AM MST on Fri., Mar. 14, 2008 re: "Dulles rail re-bidding stripped from budget"

Lisa Green said:
I've read the State contract with Bechtel for Dulles Rail and I don't see how bidding out this project would be a "breach of Contract" as Sen. Colgan and Governor Kaine assert. This is hogwash that Governor Kaine has put out to stifle real competition. We've got to get him out of Bechtel's pocket already.

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7:41 AM MST on Fri., Mar. 14, 2008 re: "Dulles rail re-bidding stripped from budget"

Examiner Reader said:
Someone should look into Governor Kaine's connections with Bechtel. Something isn't quite right there. Maybe we'll get lucky and find that Kaine was Bechtel's "Client #10"?

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10:55 AM MST on Fri., Mar. 7, 2008 re: "Saslaw pushes tax increase to fill transportation gap after ruling"

Examiner Reader said:
i agree with the person below no excuse for va being so broke oh yea they left one out to va is one of the few states were u have to buy county stickers to just think of all those thousands of people that have to buy them here in va at twenty bucks apeace most other states dont have to buy, them so my question is were is all that money going to would really like to no the answer to that one,so the person below is exactly right theres no excuse for va being so broke,do your job kaine and quit getting off the wall bills passed that waste tax payers money,thats not the job we the people voted you in to do.

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2:22 PM MST on Mon., Feb. 18, 2008 re: "Governor�s plan to cut state aid puts squeeze on local budgets"

Examiner Reader said:
Get rid of the illegal people in N.Virginia, and the drain they have us and get busy taking care of the Americans. There is no excuse for Virginia to be so broke. One of the few states that have total controll of the liguor,beer and wine, one of the few states that you have to pay personal property taxes on your car every year,one of the few states that is a commonwealth. So Mr.Kaine, do your job, get your priorities straight and find out where all the money went.

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