By OLIVIA DIAZ Associated Press/Report for America
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin said on Friday that he would trim Virginia’s budget by $900 million in light of next year’s tax revenue projections, which could decrease as the White House’s reshaping of federal spending spurs economic uncertainty in the state.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) continues to throw his support behind federal job cuts and heightened tariffs, despite many Virginia officials’ and economists’ warnings of economic fallout.
In a CNBC interview yesterday (Monday), Youngkin acknowledged the pain that President Donald Trump’s economic decisions have already caused many Virginia residents. However, he argued that the layoffs are in the United States’ long-term interests and argued that tariffs will accelerate investments across the United States, including in Virginia.
By OLIVIA DIAZ Associated Press/Report for America
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin has vetoed a slew of bills reforming labor and gun laws, blocking Democrats’ attempts to reintroduce legislation nearly identical to what they proposed unsuccessfully last year.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) has vetoed legislation that would have allowed Arlington County to change the structure of its government for the first time in 93 years.
Del. Patrick Hope (D-Arlington), who sponsored the bill, has vowed to continue fighting for the change that passed both chambers of the General Assembly. Locally, the legislation has the backing of the Arlington County Civic Federation but lacks support from the Arlington County Board.
By OLIVIA DIAZ Associated Press/Report for America
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin said on Monday that he hoped to bolster Virginia’s rainy-day fund by $300 million in light of economic uncertainty surrounding the White House’s overhaul of federal jobs and its impact on the state’s workforce.
With water-system issues in Richmond delaying the start of the legislative session, Arlington representatives are ready with firm goals as the Virginia General Assembly prepares to get going next week.
“There is so much more to do to continue building a more just, equitable Commonwealth,” said Del. Adele McClure (D-2), who is entering her second legislative session after winning election in 2023.
By OLIVIA DIAZ Associated Press/Report for America
RICHMOND (AP) — Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin proposed a state budget plan on Wednesday to provide tax relief on tips and cars, measures his Republican administration touted as giving money back to middle- and lower-income workers.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) says Virginia workers shouldn’t pay state tax on tips they get from customers.
Adopting the policy — supported on a federal level by both president-elect Donald Trump and vice president Kamala Harris during the recent election — would let tipped workers keep an extra $70 million each year throughout the Commonwealth, the governor’s office said in a press release Monday.
Youngkin says he is proposing the tax change in his upcoming budget. GOP state senators, meanwhile, signaled their support for Youngkin’s proposal in statements Monday, after introducing a bill last week to eliminate state income tax on gratuities.
The governor’s press release is below.
Governor Glenn Youngkin today announced a budget proposal to exempt service tips from Virginia’s state income tax. This proposal will return an estimated $70 million annually to the pockets of hardworking Virginians to further deliver on Governor Youngkin’s commitment to lower the cost of living for working families across the Commonwealth. This builds on the more than $5 billion in tax relief already delivered for Virginians under his administration.
“We have delivered over $5 billion in tax relief to date, and we remain committed to lowering the cost of living for hardworking Virginians. It’s their money, not the government’s,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “By removing tips from taxable income, it will directly increase the take-home pay of hundreds of thousands of Virginians and give them more buying power, which in turn will improve financial stability, stimulate local economies, and honor the value of their hard work.”
The Virginia Department of Taxation and the Virginia Employment Commission estimate that more than 250,000 Virginians within the food service industry, personal service industry (such as hair stylists), and hospitality industry (such as bellhops and concierges) could benefit from the proposed tax relief. Workers who receive tips from their employment in other industries would also benefit.
Virginians who earn tips will be able to claim a deduction on their state tax return, provided the income is included in their federal adjusted gross income. The Department of Taxation will use IRS data and employer-reported W-2 information to ensure compliance.
The Commonwealth’s robust financial health, marked by record employment levels, rising revenues and surpluses, robust reserves, and a AAA bond rating, enables the Commonwealth to implement meaningful tax relief for Virginians while maintaining fiscal responsibility and sustaining vital investments in public services.
Critics of exempting tips from tax have a number of reasons why they think it’s a bad policy, however, from issues of fairness to a loss of revenue to the risk of distorting labor markets.
“It’s not fair to subsidize Le Cirque waiters but not McDonald’s customer service associates with tax-free tips. Or to so favor a hotel’s housekeeper, but not a homeowner’s house cleaner,” the Tax Policy Center wrote in September. “Or, for that matter, traditional employees and not independent contractors in the growing gig economy.”
What do you think? Should Virginia exempt service tips from state income tax? Or do you oppose the governor’s proposal?
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin has issued a statement amid reports of drone sightings around Northern Virginia and elsewhere.
The governor says his office is aware of “multiple sightings of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles” and state agencies have been coordinating with law enforcement in response. Youngkin added that he’s “deeply concerned” with a lack of information from federal authorities.
By MARK SHERMAN Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court’s conservative majority on Wednesday allowed Virginia to resume its purge of voter registrations that the state says is aimed at stopping people who are not U.S. citizens from voting.
By MATTHEW BARAKAT and MARK SHERMAN Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Virginia on Monday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene to allow the state to remove roughly 1,600 voters from its rolls that it believes are noncitizens.
By MATTHEW BARAKAT Associated Press
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — A federal judge on Friday ordered Virginia to restore more than 1,600 voter registrations that she said were illegally purged in the last two months in an effort to stop noncitizens from voting.
