Strong majority backs Virginia Senate budget

Strong majority backs Virginia Senate budget: "The Virginia Senate adopted a budget this afternoon on a 30 to 10 vote, making deep cuts to education, health care and public safety necessary to close a $4 billion two-year shortfall. But the chamber agreed to raise more than $300 million in fees and accept a proposal from Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) to underfund pension plans for state and local employee by $508 million in the next two years. The two moves free up revenues that allow the senate to cut less, particularly from education, than their colleagues in the House. The senate made only one substantive change in their budget as it came out of the Finance Committee on Sunday.