Virginia is more than half a billion dollars in the black this fiscal year, Gov. Bob McDonnell announced Thursday, marking the second straight year the state has posted a surplus. Drawing a distinct contrast with federal government, McDonnell said Virginia was able to make the difficult decisions and steep budget cuts needed to survive the economic downturn because it focused on the state’s priorities rather than politics.

“I think this is the result of bipartisan cooperation here in Richmond, where we have agreed to tone down the rhetoric and to make the tough decisions through a conservative budgeting and fiscal restraint,” McDonnell told lawmakers.