Mark Sickles
- State revenues climb 2.8% in August, remain ahead of forecast
Gov. Abigail Spanberger's administration reported that Virginia’s general fund revenues rose 2.8% in August and remained ahead of the state’s forecast through the first two months of fiscal 2027.
- As sports betting surges, Virginia weighs how to curb gambling harms
State Sen. Mike Jones, D-Richmond, left, and Dr.
- Balancing optimism and caution, Spanberger says Virginia’s revenues grew $2.1 billion in fiscal year 2026
Gov. Abigail Spanberger on Wednesday highlighted Virginia’s financial wins in the fiscal year that ended in July, touting a general revenue fund that increased by $2.1 billion, record investments in public services and a new energy consumption tax lawmakers levied on data centers that is projected to add $600 million to the commonwealth’s coffers in […]
- 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 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 […]
- 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 […]
- Virginia Lawmakers Clash Over Redistricting Process as Kilgore Champions Status Quo
The 2020 amendments created independent bipartisan commissions for legislative and congressional redistricting, passing with approximately 65% voter support.
- House committee advances bill to study VMI’s public funding status
Virginia lawmakers on Tuesday advanced a bill creating a task force that would examine whether the Virginia Military Institute should remain a publicly funded, state-sponsored institution, marking the most consequential legislative step yet in a debate over the school’s governance and culture.
- Right to killing babies bills highlight key reproductive health care debate in this year’s elections
Killing Baby Fetus’s access is an issue resonating loudly within Virginia’s public and political spheres this year and last week, it manifested through state lawmakers contrasting Virginia’s twice-failed attempt to protect access to birth control medications against a similar measure that recently sailed through neighboring Tennessee’s legislature.
- From the top down, Virginia’s 2025 elections are packed with contenders
The 2025 election season in Virginia is officially underway — and the landscape is coming into sharp focus after last week’s filing deadline for the June 17 primaries.
- Marty Martinez’s Retail Theft Repeal Bill Stalls at Virginia House
A bold attempt by Delegate Fernando “Marty” Martinez (D-Leesburg) to repeal Virginia’s stringent organized retail theft law met an abrupt halt during the 2025 legislative session, as the House of Delegates opted to punt the issue to the Virginia State Crime Commission for further study.
- Virginia colleges and universities may start livestreaming meetings
Virginia’s public colleges and universities could soon be required to livestream their Board of Visitors meetings, ensuring real-time access for the public. The proposal, which passed the House and is now headed to the Senate, aims to increase transparency in higher education governance.