True: McEachin says McDonnell plan uses education money to fix roads

In the "State of the Commonwealth" address, Governor McDonnell proposed taking sales tax revenue currently earmarked for the general fund and earmarking it for transportation.

We knew this would mean less money for education and Senator McEachin said as much.

Politifact ran Senator McEachin's statement through their "truth-o-meter". Verdict: true.

McEachin, speaking on behalf of Democrats in the General Assembly, said McDonnell’s proposed budget would take "money out of our classrooms to pave roads."

He was referring to an eight-year plan by McDonnell plan to gradually increase the small portion of state sales revenues earmarked for road maintenance. The governor’s proposal would remove $110 million from the state’s general fund during the next two budget years.

About 30 percent of the general fund goes to classroom education, so schools stand to lose $33 million. The biennial school loss would grow to at least $165 million when McDonnell’s plan was fully phased in...

We rate McEachin’s statement True.

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