Claim: [Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine] “left us with a $4.2 billion shortfall.”
Ad(s): “Smarter Spending Not Higher Taxes”
Sponsor(s): American For Prosperity
Total Estimated Spending On This Claim: $61,350
Markets: Charlottesville, Norfolk, Richmond, Roanoke, VA
Stations: WCAV, WVAW WVIR, WAVY, WTKR, WVBT, WVEC, WRIC, WRLH, WTVR, WWBT, WDBJ, WFXR, WSET, WSLS
FactCheck.org’s Summary: Not exactly. The state did face a $4.2 billion gap in the biennial 2010-2012 budget, but Kaine submitted a balanced budget proposal days before leaving office, as required by law.
And the last budget Kaine signed into law ended with a surplus. In fact, Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell praised Kaine for making “tough cuts” in state spending and relying on “conservative” revenue forecasts in the 2008-2010 biennial budget that helped the state end fiscal year 2010 with a $403 million surplus.
McDonnell rightly credited “two administrations” for the surplus, since fiscal year 2010 started under Kaine and ended six months later under a McDonnell administration.