Budget Battle Edges Toward Overtime

"In the short term, we're where we need to be. It's in the outer years where we need the work," said Del. Joe T. May (R-Loudoun). When asked whether he would work to convince his colleagues in the House that their plan needs more money, he said: "Absolutely. But we're going to have to come up with something that is palatable to everybody."

That won't be easy because there is disagreement in the chambers about how much each region should get and how each should get it.

Senate lawmakers say their plan provides more money than the House for the two regions. In a side-by-side comparison by Senate staff, Northern Virginia would get $470 million under the Senate plan and $268 million under the House proposal.

House leaders say those comparisons are misleading, but senators say they will insist that tax increases are necessary to provide enough of a boost in spending. Statewide, the Senate plan would put about $1 billion a year toward transportation, and the House plan would allocate about $350 million annually.

"It makes little sense to go through this grinding and gut-wrenching exercise" for what the House package would raise, Chichester said.

A Budget by June

In addition to solving their dispute over transportation, budget negotiators also must find a way to compromise on numerous other budget issues, including funding for colleges, health care, police officers and education.

But lawmakers said they believe little can be achieved in those areas until they reach a deal on whether to raise taxes for roads and transit.

"Transportation is so intertwined in every aspect of the budget," said Stolle, the Virginia Beach delegate.

He said pressure will rise as March turns into April and then May and the state becomes desperate to have a budget to plan for the next fiscal year. "Transportation is extremely important, but the integrity of government is terribly important," he said.

Del. Timothy D. Hugo (R-Fairfax) said he does not believe the House will vote for tax increases. Unlike 2004, he said, he feels little pressure from interest groups to buckle to higher taxes.

"The pressure is not even close to what it was two years ago," he said. "People posture. It's people playing chicken. But at the end, I hope people work things out."

Chichester, too, said he is hopeful for a resolution. But he dangled the possibility of a long wait until the budget is settled.

"I'll stay as long as it takes. I don't have anywhere to go," he said. "We have to have a budget by the end of June. I'll expect we'll have one by then."

Staff writer Rosalind S. Helderman contributed to this report.