According to multiple sources, Gov. Abigail Spanberger was on the House Democratic Caucus conference call Thursday night. She is backing the House version of the budget and has been working with House leaders to advance it ahead of a potential government shutdown at the end of June.
The House and Spanberger, who want to keep the tax cut for data centers in place, are at odds with Senate Democrats, who want to repeal it. Spanberger and House Democrats have said they do not want to go back on agreements that are already in place.
“I care about keeping our word to businesses that we attract, and that we want to retain in the Commonwealth of Virginia,” Speaker of the House Don Scott, D-Portsmouth, said in a recent interview.
Sen. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, said she is not surprised that Spanberger chose to work with the House on the budget.
“Why would anybody be surprised? She’s an extension of the House of Delegates,” Lucas told Virginia Scope in a phone interview.
Sources tell Virginia Scope that Lucas is all-or-nothing on the data center tax cut and is unlikely to compromise at this point.
Democrats, who control the House of Delegates, Senate, and Executive Mansion, have until July 1 to reach a budget deal, or the state will enter a government shutdown.
Negotiations seemed promising until they broke down after Lucas, Spanberger, and House Appropriations Chair Luke Torian, D-Prince William, met earlier this week.
After the meeting, Lucas attacked Spanberger and Scott by calling them “Data Center Diva” and “Amazon Don.”
Lucas is going on a “data center listening tour” next week in Central Virginia and Hampton Roads. She will be joined by Sen. Aaron Rouse, D-Virginia Beach, and Sen. Mike Jones, D-Chesterfield.
The House is scheduled to meet on June 18 and the Senate on June 22 to take up their budgets.
This is a developing situation.