Affordability
- Virginia Democrats Push $714 Million State Employee Pay Raise Funded by New Taxes
As Virginia lawmakers finalize the massive budget for the upcoming 2026-2028 biennium, fiscal conservatives are raising urgent alarms over a reckless expansion in permanent state spending. Governor Abigail Spanberger and Democratic legislative leaders have agreed to a 3.5 percent across-the-board pay bump for state employees, which will cost hardworking taxpayers an estimated $714 million. This […
- Prince William County Allocates Five Million Dollars to Affordable Housing Reserve in Fiscal Year 2027 Budget
Prince William County is making a substantial financial commitment to address regional housing challenges in its latest fiscal planning cycle. The fiscal year 2027 budget allocates a dedicated five million dollars to the Affordable Housing Reserve Fund to stimulate the development of accessible living spaces. This recent injection brings the cumulative investment in the reserve […]
- Loudoun County Dedicates $29 Million to Housing Fund in FY2027 Budget
Loudoun County officials have officially outlined a comprehensive financial strategy for the upcoming fiscal year that prioritizes affordable and attainable housing initiatives. The proposed budget for fiscal year 2027 allocates a substantial twenty-nine million dollars directly into the county Housing Fund. This dedicated funding aims to address regional housing affordability challenges while mai
- Virginia’s FY2027 Budget Saddles Taxpayers with $1.1 Billion in Higher Education Debt
The newly finalized budget for the 2026-2028 biennium in the State of Virginia introduces significant financial burdens on taxpayers through massive higher education spending. Lawmakers have allocated a staggering $349.7 million for higher education funding, raising serious concerns about fiscal responsibility and government overreach. Instead of forcing universities to trim administrative bloat,
- Virginia Taxpayers Foot the Bill for Massive Housing Subsidies in FY2027 Budget
The newly finalized budget for the Commonwealth of Virginia includes a staggering allocation of state funds directed toward affordable housing initiatives for the fiscal year 2027. Lawmakers have approved a massive $187.5 million in total biennial support for the Virginia Housing Trust Fund, which features a specific $100 million expenditure strictly for FY2027. This dramatic […]
- Prince William County Allocates $25 Million for Affordable Housing and Parks Infrastructure
The Prince William County Board of County Supervisors recently advanced significant community investments aimed at improving local infrastructure and residential support systems. The latest fiscal directives include a combined $25 million allocation specifically targeting affordable housing and public recreational facilities. This funding breaks down into a $5 million contribution to the Affordabl
- Governor Spanberger Commits One Billion Taxpayer Dollars to Backfill Federal Budget Cuts
Governor Abigail Spanberger recently finalized the Virginia FY2026-2028 Biennium Budget, which includes a massive one billion dollar reserve fund designed to offset anticipated federal spending reductions. State officials claim this protective investment is necessary to shield Virginia from massive cuts stemming from President Donald Trump and his tax reform legislation. However, conservative watc
- Virginia Budget Explodes with Record Education Spending and Teacher Raises
The State of Virginia is preparing to implement the largest investment in public education in its history, raising serious concerns among fiscal conservatives about runaway state spending and long-term financial stability. The newly approved budget includes a massive two billion dollars in new education funding overall, with over one billion dollars directed specifically toward public […]
- Virginia Secures Vital Tax Relief, Blocking Massive 2027 Tax Hike to Curb Government Overspending
Virginia lawmakers have officially secured a critical financial victory for hardworking taxpayers by increasing the standard tax deduction for the upcoming years. Under the new budget framework, the standard deduction will rise to $9,200 for single filers and $18,400 for joint filers for tax year 2027. This legislative action serves as a vital safeguard against […]
- Virginia Secures Critical Tax Relief as Standard Deductions Rise for 2027
Hardworking families across the Commonwealth of Virginia are securing a critical financial victory as the state prepares to implement increased standard tax deductions for the upcoming years. Starting in tax year 2027, the standard deduction will rise to $9,200 for single filers and $18,400 for joint filers. This legislative move effectively keeps millions of dollars […]
- Virginia Delegate Jason Ballard Introduces Measure to Lower Fees for Concealed Handgun Permit Applications
Richmond, Virginia — During the 2026 session of the Virginia House of Delegates, Delegate Jason Ballard introduced House Bill 106. The legislation focuses on reducing the maximum fee that local law enforcement agencies may charge to process concealed handgun permit applications. Under the bill’s provisions, the overall maximum fee for obtaining a concealed handgun permit […]
- Virginia Budget Balloons with Unprecedented $577 Million Childcare Subsidy Expansion
The Virginia state budget has officially ballooned with a staggering $137.6 million increase in childcare subsidy funding. This massive allocation brings the total taxpayer support for childcare to an unprecedented $577 million over the current biennium. Prior to fiscal year 2024, no state general fund support was ever provided for childcare in Virginia, as the […]
- Prince William County Navigates Complex Pension Liabilities in FY2027 Budget Negotiations
Rising pension liabilities and shifting retirement costs are significantly reshaping the financial landscape for Prince William County as officials navigate the upcoming fiscal year. The proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget highlights a complex scenario where general government pension costs are decreasing while school system retirement obligations are surging. These divergent financial trajectories h
- Virginia Taxpayers Face Record Education Bill as State Spends Billions Despite Declining Enrollment
The state of Virginia has officially enacted a budget that includes a staggering two billion dollars in new public education funding. This record-breaking allocation represents the largest single investment in public education in the history of the commonwealth, placing an immense long-term burden on hardworking taxpayers. Governor Abigail Spanberger recently praised the spending package, claiming
- Manassas Park Expands Affordable Housing and First-Time Homebuyer Initiatives for Fiscal Year 2027
The City of Manassas Park is expanding its affordable housing initiatives and updating eligibility requirements for prospective homeowners as part of its Fiscal Year 2027 community spending plan. Local officials are leveraging federal HOME funds to support a First-Time Homebuyer Program that provides critical down payment and closing cost assistance. These programmatic updates are designed […]
- Virginia Legislation Proposes Updates to Medicaid State Plan for Consultations
Virginia lawmakers introduced a bill that would require the Department of Medical Assistance Services to update the state plan for medical assistance to include patient-initiated consultations and provider-to-provider consultations. The legislation, prefiled on January 1, 2026, and offered on January 14, 2026, amends Section 32.1-325 of the Code of Virginia to add these consultation types […]
- Virginia Democrats Earmark $100k for Statue honoring Judge Lee Ware accused of trading sex with convicted killer’s mother for legal advice
The budget deal Virginia Democrats have proposed is now on Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D.)’s desk provides $100,000 for a monument honoring a former Circuit Court judge who admitted having a sexual relation with the mother of a convicted killer while providing legal assistance in her son’s cases. Grace Church claimed that Onzlee ware, a circuit […]
- Virginia’s $17 Million Eviction Program Expansion Sparks Fiscal Concerns
The Virginia state budget recently advanced a massive expansion of taxpayer-funded housing subsidies, raising concerns among fiscal conservatives about runaway spending. Lawmakers allocated an astonishing $17 million for eviction prevention assistance over the biennium, vastly expanding the state’s footprint in private housing matters. This hefty appropriation represents a drastic expansion from t
- Democrats challenge Beyer in Va.’s 8th Congressional District, marred by federal layoffs
Everyone in Northern Virginia knows someone who was “DOGEd,” either laid off or otherwise impacted by sweeping cuts initiated through President Donald Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. Virginia is home to nearly 200,000 federal workers; over 20,000 of them lost their jobs last year. The pain of those losses runs […]
- John McGuire faces primary test as Democrats eye more competitive 5th District race
U.S. Rep. John McGuire may have breathed a sigh of relief after courts last month invalidated Virginia’s voter-approved redistricting amendment, which would have made the state’s 5th congressional District more favorable to Democrats. But the Goochland Republican still enters his first reelection campaign facing turbulence, including accusations that he has done little for constituents and […]
- Virginia Resident Raises Concerns Over Rental Pricing Practices
A Virginia resident provided input during a legislative session regarding experiences with rent determination methods employed by corporate landlords in the state. The presentation detailed how certain pricing mechanisms lead to increases at specific times along with supplementary costs outlined in agreements. The individual recounted efforts to address these elements through direct engagement wit
- Governor Abigail Spanberger kills Prescription Drug Affordability Board proposal
A five-year effort to curb drug prices through a Prescription Drug Affordability Board just faced its third veto between two governors, as Abigail Spanberger formally rejected the measure Tuesday. The proposal had evolved over the years: first as a board to set payment limits on drug prices, and later as an advisory panel to help […]
- Here are 10 notable new Virginia laws that will take effect July 1
Hundreds of new Virginia laws will begin taking effect Wednesday, after Gov. Abigail Spanberger acted on more than 1,100 bills approved by the Democratic-controlled General Assembly earlier this year. Not every measure passed this year will be triggered into action all at once. Some policies will phase in over the coming months or years, while […]
- Virginia General Assembly approves Spanberger’s budget amendments, ending monthslong impasse
With less than 48 hours remaining before the start of Virginia’s new fiscal year, the General Assembly on Monday approved a package of amendments proposed by Gov. Abigail Spanberger to the state’s two-year budget, formally ending a budget fight among the Democratic majority that had dragged on for months. The House of Delegates and state […]
- ‘It’s outrageous’: Spanberger navigates budget fight, Democratic unrest six months into governorship
Back in January, Gov. Abigail Spanberger arrived in office promising pragmatism, affordability and a less combative style of politics. Fast forward a few months, and Virginia’s first woman governor finds herself navigating one of the rockiest starts to a Democratic administration in years, with budget negotiations intensifying weeks before a shutdown deadline, frustration simmering inside […]
- Virginia joins initiative to create three-year bachelor’s degree model
Higher education leaders in Virginia and Ohio announced Thursday that they will join forces to create a model for three-year bachelor’s degrees, cutting the traditional timeframe of obtaining the credential by one year. The move reflects Virginia’s strategic plan to better align higher education with student and employer needs and increase affordability. Currently, the laws […]
- Virginia House, Senate to meet Monday as budget deadline inches closer
The Virginia House of Delegates will convene Monday afternoon in Richmond, House Clerk Paul Nardo confirmed Friday. The state Senate will meet the same day, as both chambers work towards resolving the state budget, which must be finalized by June 30 or risk a government shutdown. The House had been scheduled to meet Thursday but […]
- Virginia legislators advance $205 billion budget including new tax on data centers
On Monday, Virginia legislators approved a two-year, $205 billion budget proposal to fund healthcare and public education, provide 4% teacher raises and a 3.5% pay bump to state employees, establish a retail weed marketplace and hedge against decreased federal dollars. The spending plan also includes a provision to tax data centers for their energy consumption, […]
- Virginia eyes toll revenue for transit as express lane debate grows
Virginia is pushing to reinvest express lane and toll revenue into public transit instead of road projects, even as public concerns persist about using priced roadways. The focus on reinvesting express lane revenue is reflected in the estimated $46.5 million the commonwealth expects to generate from its express lanes, which are designed to mitigate congestion […]
- Virginia revenue forecast jumps by $1.5 billion as budget talks continue
Virginia’s revenue outlook has improved by $1.5 billion over the next three fiscal years, giving lawmakers more breathing room as negotiations over a stalled state budget are set to continue in Richmond later this month. Gov. Abigail Spanberger on Monday afternoon released the updated revenue forecast she ordered last month, telling top legislative budget writers […]
- Virginia’s colleges and universities brace for major accreditation overhaul
Virginia’s colleges and universities may soon face heightened competition and political scrutiny, educators and related groups say, as the U.S. Department of Education advanced draft rules last week that could change how institutions are accredited under stronger federal oversight and stricter accountability measures. This process plays a central role in U.S. higher education because it […]
- New law will enhance emergency response for people with disabilities
Two things inspired Del. Leslie Mehta, D-Chesterfield, the most when she sought public office: her now-deceased eldest daughter Brooke and her passion for healthcare policy. Both converged in the first piece of Mehta’s legislation to be signed into law by Gov. Abigail Spanberger. House Bill 1370, she said, is about “making sure that those with […]
- Virginia lawmakers are set to return to Richmond as budget deadline nears
Virginia lawmakers are set to return to Richmond this month for another attempt to reach a budget deal, with just days until the start of the new fiscal year and no agreement yet on the state’s next two-year spending plan. The House of Delegates is scheduled to reconvene its special session June 18 at 10 […]
- Is Dominion’s plan to merge with NextEra good or bad for Virginians?
Man, even the Pope doesn’t like data centers. In his new encyclical on artificial intelligence, Pope Leo XIV laid out the dangers of the mad rush to replace humans with AI. Amid the concerns for the dignity and future of humanity, he took a moment to mention the environmental damage involved: Current AI systems require […]
- Prince William County Lowers Real Estate Tax Rate, But Average Homeowner Bill Still Rises
The Prince William County Board of County Supervisors approved its Fiscal Year 2026 budget on April 22, 2025, including a reduction in the real estate tax rate designed to partially offset rising property assessments. Despite the rate cut, most homeowners will pay more in property taxes this year due to strong growth in home values […]
- Spanberger weighs legislation to allow class action lawsuits in Virginia courts
(Photo by Getty Images) Gov. Abigail Spanberger is weighing whether to sign or veto legislation that would, for the first time, allow Virginians to file class action lawsuits in state courts — a shift advocates say would expand access to justice, but one that has drawn pushback over how far the change should go. Virginia […]
- Spanberger’s ICE actions deepen divide with Virginia Democrats
Gov. Abigail Spanberger within just 24 hours vetoed two legislative packages aimed at limiting federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in Virginia while simultaneously signing other measures targeting masked federal agents and issuing a sweeping executive order governing how ICE officers may operate on state property. The mixed actions frustrated and baffled some Democratic lawmakers
- Virginia revenues surge despite job losses amid budget standoff
Virginia’s economy is showing increasing signs of strain from slower job growth, rising inflation and weakening consumer confidence, even as state revenues continue exceeding expectations and giving lawmakers more room to negotiate a stalled state budget, Virginia Secretary of Finance Mark Sickles said Tuesday. Presenting the administration’s latest economic and revenue update to the Senate […]
- Abigail Spanberger vetoes bills allowing public employees to collectively bargain working condition, wages
Gov. Abigail Spanberger vetoed collective bargaining legislation Thursday, drawing major criticism from some of the state’s largest unions and labor advocate groups. The governor previously expressed support for the bills that would allow more Virginia public workers to organize in unions and negotiate their working conditions and pay rates. Spanberger first sought amendments to Senate […]
- A new law will make it easier to build a tiny house in your back yard, starting next year
An ADU with alley access in Richmond’s Fan neighborhood. (Photo by Wyatt Gordon) Accessory dwelling units — which could be a tiny house on another home’s lot, a garage-turned-apartment, a carriage house, or an ‘in-law suite’ — will be easier to build beginning next year, following Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s signature of a new law this […]
- Loudoun County Allocates $85.8 Million to Attainable Housing Since FY2023 in Proposed FY27 Budget
Key components of the FY27 proposal include $10.5 million allocated to a loan program anticipated to fund 100 units and $4.5 million for the attainable housing fund targeting 110 units. Starting in FY2027, a penny from cigarette tax revenue will be dedicated to down payment and closing cost assistance. These efforts build on a property […]
- Uptick in continued Virginia General Assembly legislation reflects varied motivations
The State Capitol in Richmond. (Photo by Kacy Lee/Capital News Service) By Kacy Lee/VCU Capital News Service RICHMOND, Va. — Hundreds of bills were continued to 2027 following the recent Virginia General Assembly session that concluded in mid-March, a method political experts say is increasingly used by lawmakers for several reasons. A total of 2,366 […]
- Governor pitches amendments to Prescription Drug Affordability Board bill that some say ‘nullify’ it
Photo illustration of prescription medicine in bottles. (Photo by Charlotte Rene Woods/Virginia Mercury) While Gov. Abigail Spanberger never signaled she would sign the proposed Prescription Drug Affordability Board, the bills’ patrons Del. Karrie Delaney, D-Fairfax, and Sen. Creigh Deeds, D-Charlottesville, had communicated with her during this year’s legislative session as they workshopped thei
- Virginia sees 33,000 ACA enrollment drop since subsidies expired, more likely on the way
(Photo by Getty Images) What might be pocket change to some can be a breaking point for others — forcing tough choices between health insurance and everyday essentials. As Virginians, and Americans nationwide, face premium spikes in the Affordable Care Act marketplace after Congress failed to renew subsidies, many are weighing the cost of coverage […]
- ‘Skill’ slot machines are a risky bet for Virginia
Skill games in a Richmond corner store. The games popped up in gas stations, convenience stores and bars around the state before they were outlawed. (Photo by Ned Oliver/Virginia Mercury) After 32 years in the United States Army and Virginia Army National Guard, I now spend my time managing my VFW Post’s charitable gaming activities. […]
- Virginia HB4 Clears Senate Committee, Poised to Expand Local Control Over Affordable Housing Sales
RICHMOND, Va. — House Bill 4, a measure designed to preserve affordable housing in Virginia, advanced through the Senate General Laws and Technology Committee on March 4, 2026, with a 9-6 vote. The bill, which passed the House of Delegates on February 2 by a 65-34 margin, now moves closer to a full Senate vote […]
- Affordability or tax hikes? Spanberger agenda caught in political crossfire
Gov. Abigail Spanberger made affordability the centerpiece of her 2026 agenda, promising relief for Virginians strained by high housing costs, rising energy bills and everyday expenses. But less than a month into the General Assembly session, several dozen tax-increase bills filed by Democratic lawmakers have given Republicans a ready-made political weapon — and an opening […]
- Before You Vote in November, Look at What Happened in Richmond
This November, Virginians will choose who represents them in the U.S. House. As always, the economy will be the decisive issue, and midterms traditionally punish the party in power. What voters should not forget is what just happened in Richmond. Led by Abigail Spanberger, Democrats ran on “affordability.” After winning control of state government, they […]
- Op-Ed: Budget amendment would triple General Assembly member salaries, cost taxpayers more in retirement and frills
OINK, OINK — the hog is now the symbol of the Democratic Party in Virginia. Not even in power for two weeks, Sen. Scott Surovell (D-Fairfax) introduced a budget amendment to triple the salaries of state senators and delegates to $45,000, effective January 2028. According to the budget amendment, taxpayers would be on the hook […]
- Virginia’s RGGI Withdrawal and Potential Reentry Spark Debate on Costs and Emissions
Republican sources claim RGGI extracted $828 million from Virginians during participation, with withdrawal saving $937 million. Projections for rejoining under new Democratic Governor Abigail Spanberger suggest annual costs of $500 million, equating to roughly $1,100 per household in higher electricity bills. Industrial users reportedly faced increases exceeding $1,500 monthly previously.0527 Carb