Lots of fireworks today on the Senate floor.  The Finance Committee, headed by our senior member Chuck Colgan (D-Manassas), put forward its Budget at 4 pm last night.

Already the speeches are beginning.

Since I'm no longer a noisy back-bencher in the House, I can't make ad hominem speeches.  So I'm pretty much listening and learning the details.  We vote on Thursday and I'll try to get a post up before that time with some observations (pro and con). 

fyi, I voted last Friday for the penny-a-year gas tax increase (SB713) proposed by Sen. Saslaw.  We've discussed this issue many, many times on this blog and in debates.  I did what I said I would do. 

Ironically, most of the R's voted "no," even after supporting a 5% surcharge proposed by Sen. Chichester two years ago.

Irony?