Senior budget leader Lacey Putney is urging his colleagues to end below-the-radar state cuts to localities.

Since 2009, Virginia legislators have been balancing their budget by sending state aid to cities and counties for education and public safety services, then demanding that localities write checks returning a portion of that money to Richmond.

Although local government officials have roundly denounced the practice, there has been little public outrage. That’s most likely because it sounds too dumb to be true.

Continue reading this editorial.