The House Republicans got the House Democrats to vote on Kaine’s bill—at least in theory.
Del. Clifford Athey tried to substitute Kaine’s transportation bill for Sen. Saslaw’s gas tax increase plan. In the midst of lengthy and often heated partisan back-and-forth, both the House Republican leader and the House Democratic leader urged a no vote. It failed 98-0.
Del. Ward L. Armstrong, D-Henry, said he thought lawmakers on the other side of the aisle want to embarass Kaine and the Democrats by making them vote against the bill. He said it wasn’t a vote against Kaine’s bill, it was a vote against the procedure. He followed that up with saying the House Democrats prefer Sen. Richard L. Saslaw’s bill with the gas tax increase taken out.
“There is a relative consensus that we’ve found,” Armstrong said. “The Saslaw bill is the way to go.”
Saslaw’s gas tax increase plan remains alive and is being discussed now on the House floor.
-- Olympia Meola and Tyler Whitley
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