RICHMOND, Va. – Virginia Gov. Timothy Kaine announced yesterday that he is taking a pay cut and curtailing his office and living expenses to begin dealing with an expected multibillion-dollar budget shortfall.
Kaine, a Democrat, said he is reducing his executive office budget by about 10 percent.
Kaine will be taking a 5 percent pay cut, limiting his staff's cell phone costs, ending purchases of bottled water and canceling some newspaper subscriptions. The governor's salary is $175,000.
Eight positions also will be eliminated. The combined reductions will save taxpayers about $1.4 million annually.
“If Virginia families and business have to make difficult spending decisions in tough times, we need to show them we're doing the same,” Kaine said. “Taxpayers trust us to run a lean government.”
