Although Gov. Tim Kaine (D) played Santa Claus in giving state workers the day off on Christmas Eve, he warns of a $2.9 billion budget shortfall over the next two years out of a $73 billion budget. His budget proposes layoffs and cuts to education (primarily state-funded K-12 administrators, leaving local districts discretion for where to make other cuts), law enforcement, and transportation, while hiking the cigarette tax by 100% and increasing grants to charities. More on Virginia here.
