Governor Glenn Youngkin publicized his desire to include over 200 amendments to the state budget proposal sent his way by the Virginia General Assembly.
This year’s budget is of utmost importance as it will serve as the Governor’s “legacy budget” – the only one in his single four-year term that he can oversee from start to finish to implementation.
The Virginia Pilot reports:
Gov. Glenn Youngkin is proposing an overhaul rather than an outright rejection of the budget proposal adopted last month by the Virginia General Assembly, recommending more than 200 amendments to the two-year spending plan.
“I invite our legislative colleagues and all their teams to partner with us and work together,” said Youngkin, speaking at a Monday briefing at the Patrick Henry Building. “I look forward to those discussions — the hope is that on April 17, we can pass a clean, balanced common-ground budget that truly fuels Virginia’s future.”
Youngkin’s amendments would remove any tax increases included in the proposal approved by the legislature, including a digital sales tax — which the governor originally supported — that would have included digital items in the state’s sales and use tax base. It would also undo an effort from Democrats to have the state rejoin the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, which he previously said places a “hidden tax” on utility consumers.
RGGI is a multistate program that pushes a shift to renewable energy production by requiring energy producers to buy allowances for each metric ton of carbon they produce.
The Governor has repeatedly rejected attempts by the Democrat-controlled legislature to make life more expensive for Virginians by raising taxes. His proposed budget cuts will be deliberated by Democrats on April 17th, the day of the reconvene session.