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Virginia
Tuesday, June 10, 2025

Va. education department plans to launch Office of Excellence and Best Practices

The Virginia Department of Education is preparing to launch a new Office of Excellence and Best Practices by hiring an executive director who will be responsible for fostering innovation, highlighting high-performing schools, and directing resources toward initiatives with a proven track record of improving student outcomes.

Response to “Trump’s Attack on Offshore Wind is Hurting Virginia. Why Aren’t Republican Leaders Fighting for Us?”

The Virginia Mercury article (May 19, 2025) argues that President Donald Trump’s executive order halting offshore wind project approvals, permits, and funding is detrimental to Virginia’s economy, particularly the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project, and criticizes Republican leaders like Governor Glenn Youngkin and Attorney General Jason Miyares for not opposing it.

In Support of the GOP Tax Bill and Silencer Deregulation

The Republican tax bill, including its provision to eliminate the $200 tax and registration requirements for firearm silencers, represents a practical approach to reducing government overreach while promoting individual freedoms and economic growth. Contrary to the criticisms from Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, this legislation prioritizes the needs of law-abiding citizens and offers significant benefits for both the economy and public safety.

Virginia’s budget surplus grows as revenues beat expectations due to Republican management

Virginia’s general fund revenues rose sharply in April, bucking signs of a national economic cooldown as the state continues to post steady long-time job growth and rake in more tax dollars than projected.

Gov. announced Monday that general fund revenues are up 6.3% — nearly $1.5 billion — compared to the same 10-month period last fiscal year. April alone brought in $322.4 million more than the same month in 2024, marking an 8.8% jump. Overall, revenues are tracking 0.8% — or $211.1 million — ahead of the state’s official forecast, with two months left in the fiscal year.

‘s financials remain strong, reflecting strong job growth and business investment,” Youngkin said in a statement. “With over 265,000 more Virginians working today versus three years ago and over $100 billion in capital investment commitments from companies eager to grow in Virginia, the Commonwealth’s financial performance is tracking ahead of forecast.”

The upbeat state report comes even as the national posted a notable dip in growth. According to a memo from Secretary of Finance Stephen Cummings to the governor, real U.S. GDP growth fell sharply in the first quarter of 2025.

The decline was largely driven by a surge in imports, as consumers rushed to beat expected tariffs. Imports grew at a 9% annual rate, while the rest of the economy posted a more modest 2% pace.

Despite the GDP slide, hiring remained solid. The U.S. added 177,000 in April, and Virginia tacked on 5,900 jobs in March — the most recent month with available data — led by construction, and . The state’s rate nudged up slightly to 3.2% in March, up from 3.1 percent the previous month.

Still, federal employment is showing cracks. Virginia lost an estimated 4,100 federal jobs in March, while nationally the shed 9,000 jobs in April — figures that state officials say bear watching.

“Strong revenue results for April, a significant collection month, indicate that the Virginia economy continues to exceed our prudent forecast,” Cummings said in a statement. “While we continue to have confidence in our FY2025 forecast and the long-term resiliency and strength of the Virginia economy, we are cognizant of potential short-term risks associated with federal job reductions and the resetting of trade relationships.”

Cummings added that the governor’s final budget decisions reflect a “prudent and responsible plan on behalf of our taxpayers to provide additional cushion for the commonwealth’s general fund resources.”

Meanwhile, inflation cooled slightly in April. Consumer prices rose 2.3% compared to last year, down from 2.4% in March and well below the 3.3% rate seen a year ago. Core inflation, which excludes and , held steady at 2.8%. The Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge also fell, with the core personal consumption expenditures index easing to 2.6% in March.

The Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged earlier this month and is expected to do so again at its June 18 meeting.

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Originally written for VirginiaMercury and it originally published as Virginia’s budget surplus grows as revenues beat expectations due to Republican management

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