Republicans Accuse Kaine of Playing Politics

For the second week in a row, House Majority Leader H. Morgan Griffith accused the Kaine administration of trying to scare voters into believing the state's finances are worse than they are.

Griffith (R-Salem) called the administration's lack of information "inappropriate" and "improper" and said it's not the way things should be done in Virginia.

Earlier on Monday, Republican members of the House Appropriations Committee berated the state's secretary of finance and budget director for failing to provide other alternatives to the state's $640-million shortfall besides crucial cuts to services or dipping into the state's rainy day fund.

Republicans, who have pointed to a potential $170 million in unspent revenue, also said Monday that it may be possible to save money by delaying some of the state's capital improvement projects.

"We're playing fast and loose with the numbers,'' said Leo C. Wardrup Jr. (R-Virginia Beach).