State lawmakers praise McDonnell for keeping Brown as finance secretary

By: Times Dispatch / Jeff E. Schapiro | The Daily Progress
Published: December 08, 2009

Budget writers in both parties are welcoming Gov.-elect Bob McDonnell's decision to temporarily keep the state's top financial officer.

Sen. Janet Howell, D-Fairfax, and Del. M. Kirkland Cox, R-Colonial Heights, say retaining Secretary of Finance Richard "Ric" Brown sends an important signal to politicians, policy makers and Wall Street.

Brown, with more than four decades of state service, can help McDonnell master the complexities and challenges of the recession-wracked budget he will inherit from Democrat Timothy M. Kaine, Howell and Cox said.

Howell and Cox made their comments this morning during a panel discussion that is part of AP Day at the Capitol, a seminar organized by the Associated Press, the Virginia Capitol Correspondents Association and the Society of Professional Journalists.

Howell said the Brown reappointment "sends a really important message to the people of Virginia and Wall Street."

Cox described Brown as a "excellent choice," who can help the new governor as well as the General Assembly.

The legislators, along with Michael Edwards, a lobbyist for the Virginia Association of Counties, also discussed Virginia's continuing fiscal difficulties and solutions that will be considered by the new governor and the divided General Assembly.

Cox said Kaine should not consider submitting a budget that relies on new taxes or delays current tax breaks.

Referring to McDonnell's landslide victory as a "signal Virginians have no appetite for new taxes," Cox said, "elections have consequences."

Howell, however, said Kaine shouldn't rule out new taxes.

"He should present the best budget he can possibly come up with," said Howell, adding that it should be up to McDonnell to recommend additional spending cuts.

Check back at TimesDispatch.com this afternoon for news from McDonnell's Q-and-A session today.

-- Jeff E. Schapiro