Speaker Bill Howell continued to show Republicans leading the way in their commitment to fiscal restraint, responding to shortfalls from the Governor’s revenue estimates by cutting costs in the House of Delegates budget.

The Speaker announced cuts and cost saving measures of $1 million in the House operating budget for FY2010 (see press release). That brings to $2.1 million the total savings initiated by the Speaker for FY2010 ($1.1 million in cuts were adopted during the 2009 General Assembly session).

Under Republican leadership, the Virginia General Assembly now ranks 46th among the 50 states in per capita spending on legislative operations (and 5 state legislatures meet only every other year). Virginia ranked 40th when Howell was elected Speaker in 2003.