Before the General Assembly begins a session that will be dominated by budget problems, the public gets a chance to tell lawmakers how they should fix a $2.9 billion shortfall in the state's spending plan.

Members of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance committees will hold public hearings around the state this week, including a Thursday hearing in Abingdon and a Friday session in Lynchburg. The General Assembly session will begin Jan. 14.

The Abingdon hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday at Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center. The Lynchburg hearing is set for noon Friday at Central Virginia Community College.

Gov. Tim Kaine last month called for spending cuts and the elimination of more than 1,500 state jobs to help offset a shortfall in the budget that expires June 30, 2010. Kaine's plan includes spending reductions for public schools and health care programs that had been spared in earlier rounds of budget cuts.

The governor also has proposed doubling the cigarette tax to 60 cents per pack, with revenue earmarked for Medicaid costs.

Kaine's plan also would eliminate pay raises for state employees and public schoolteachers and further cut funding of public colleges.

The legislature's budget committees also will hold a hearing on the budget Jan. 19 in Richmond.

-- Michael Sluss