Dear ,
The Virginia General Assembly reconvened TODAY (September 6) to vote on the budget. Finally!
Although there were some political floor speeches -- it is an election year after all, the budget passed the House (86 to 4) and will be approved in the Senate soon. The budget bill is a carefully negotiated compromise focused on one-time tax breaks and investments instead of permanent tax changes and ongoing additional expenses.
VICPP views the budget through its anti-poverty and racial justice lens. Will the budget significantly reduce poverty and racial disparities? Through that lens, here's some of the good and bad news.
GOOD NEWS. There is a lot of money for public schools and especially for low-income school divisions. There is $30 million for housing for people with very low-incomes and serious mental illnesses and investment in various behavior health initiatives. One very small budget item that VICPP is pleased with is the inclusion of start-up funds to establish an Ombudsman (person) office for the Department of Corrections. This office is desperately needed to monitor treatment of people incarcerated and ensure that the state's largest agency is well managed.
BAD NEWS. The most striking thing is how little money is invested in affordable housing, despite almost everyone acknowledging Virginia's housing crisis and its contribution to poverty. In addition, we were disappointed to see no money allocated to childcare assistance (called mixed delivery preK), Cover All Kids (the program to provide healthcare for undocumented children who would otherwise be covered by Medicaid), Community Health Workers study, and the pilot program on manufactured home parks. We were also disappointed not to see more money for Medicaid reimbursements (to increase the supply of doctors accepting Medicaid). The budget gives one-time tax refunds to all taxpayers, including many wealthy families who don't need it. This approach to tax refunds provides political talking points rather than investment in families in need, like the state Earned Income Tax Credit.
Special thanks, again, to The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis for its fabulous and timely analysis of the budget. Click HERE to review its summary for yourself.
Once a bidget gets negotiated this far, the decisions are made. Even though this budget is finished, we can talk now with all legislators and candidates, at candidate forums or when they knock or your door or in neighborhood meetings about our issues. Ask them:
- What will you do to address Virginia's housing affordability crisis?
- Will you support childcare assistance for low-income families so they can work and care for their families?
- Will you support a paid sick day standard of at least five days for the 1.2 million Virginia workers without any paid sick days or paid time off?
- Do you think Virginia should extend health insurance to all children, regardless of their immigration status?
- Virginia incarcerates almost twice as many people as states with comparable populations. How can we reduce mass incarceration, reduce money spent on prisons and keep Virginia safe?
Virginia's current budget process is almost over. But work is already underway on the next two-year budget. Talk with candidates now. January and the new General Assembly will be here before we know it.
Sincerely,
Kim Bobo | 
