The move could defuse rising political tension over the transportation funding package as the assembly approaches an election year and the likelihood of an additional increase in the wholesale gasoline tax ﻿Jan. 1 because of congressional inaction on an Internet sales tax bill that was supposed to generate money for transportation in Virginia.

As part of the legislative compromise on transportation funding, the assembly agreed to then-Gov. Bob McDonnell’s insistence that a portion of general fund tax revenue be transferred to the transportation trust fund. The state transferred $50 million in the fiscal year that ended June 30, but the deepening revenue shortfall prompted budget officials to seek a delay in part or all of the transfer this year.

The two-year budget adopted in June had delayed the transfer of $30 million as part of the plan to reduce $1.55 billion in revenues, but the shortfall worsened and McAuliffe revised the revenue forecast to reduce spending by an additional $882 million. The governor and legislative budget leaders reached a deal last month to address the additional shortfall that included deferring the entire $50 million transfer to transportation for a year.