House Speaker William J. Howell (R-Stafford) called the speech "a fair statement of where we are."
Still, lawmakers said they expect transportation funding to be a contentious issue. Some Republicans faulted Warner for not proposing more money and said they will push for a bolder road-building program based on increased borrowing.
John M. Bennett, left, secretary of finance, speaks with Virginia Gov. Mark R. Warner as the governor waits to present his 2005 budget to legislators.
(Steve Helber -- AP)
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Highlights of Proposal
Gov. Mark R. Warner's proposed budget amendments include these spending plans:
• $824 million to finance transportation proposals, including $140 million for a fund to encourage private partnerships, $80 million for new rail cars and buses, $80 million to help local governments take over road building, $23 million for railroad improvements and $147 million for other projects across the state.
• $259 million to pay for the rising cost of health care, including a 9 percent increase in the number of children, elderly and disabled enrolled in Medicaid.
• $229 million for the state's rainy day fund, including a set-aside of $135 million required by law when the economy is growing rapidly.
• $120 million for education, including $54.8 million for teacher salaries, $20 million to help local systems build schools, and $50.8 million to help colleges and universities meet enrollment growth.
• $53 million to give state employees and college faculty a 3 percent raise, effective in November 2005, and $32.6 million to offset health insurance premium increases for state workers.
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"I think we can do more, and I think we must do more," said Del. L. Scott Lingamfelter (R-Prince William).
But other legislators, including Sen. John H. Chichester (R-Stafford), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, have said they oppose new debt. Chichester said Warner's plan is "probably enough for this session."
Other interest groups that lobby for state funding offered a mix of reviews for Warner's proposals.
"We're ecstatic" about the teacher pay raises, said Princess Moss, president of the Virginia Education Association.
Michael Lipford, executive director of the Nature Conservancy in Virginia, said that while the budget provides an additional $32 million for water quality improvements, it does not contain enough for the environment. "We are very disappointed that the budget does not provide new funding for land conservation," he said in a statement.
And lobbyists for the health care industry said they were concerned that there wasn't a substantial raise for physicians for treating Medicaid patients.
"Obviously, everyone in the health care system believes that more should be done," said Laurens Sartoris, president of the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association. "The good news is that the budget doesn't take anything away. In the past, we've gotten whacked."
