Incoming Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell said Thursday he would retain his Democratic predecessor’s finance secretary, Richard Brown, in an effort to cushion the new administration’s leap into the worst budget crisis in decades.
Brown will act as secretary of finance “until such time as I believe my administration has a complete understanding of our current economic situation,” the governor-elect said.
“Secretary Ric Brown has been a dedicated servant to the citizens of the commonwealth for more than 35 years,” McDonnell said. “His in-depth knowledge of state government finances is unparalleled.”
The position is among the most critical and high-profile in the chief executive’s cabinet. Brown served under three administrations as the director of the Department of Planning and Budget, and in August 2008 was appointed finance secretary. He replaced Jody Wagner, who resigned to start an unsuccessful bid for lieutenant governor.
Kaine, who will hand off the keys to the governor’s mansion on Jan. 16, praised Brown’s re-appointment as a “wise choice that preserves nearly four decades of experience working in state finances.”
The job, however, may be a less than enviable one. Kaine is expected to roll out a stark budget proposal later this month that will slash billions in state spending. Virginia officials will need to close a shortfall of as much as $2.7 in the upcoming two-year budget, which runs through mid-2012, as well as a widening current-year shortfall.
McDonnell, a former state attorney general, announced a handful of other appointments on Thursday. Chief Deputy Attorney General Martin Kent will serve as the new governor’s chief of staff. Marla Decker, a deputy attorney general, will become McDonnell’s secretary of public safety.
Tucker Martin, communications director for McDonnell’s gubernatorial campaign, will take the same job on the governor’s staff. Attorney Erik Finkbeiner will become senior adviser for policy.
