Budget & Revenue
Trouble in the Commonwealth
Virginia’s schools, nursing homes, and local governments are facing another round of financial uncertainty as state policy makers debate how to fund these key priorities in the face of lower-than-expected revenue. And that’s just the short term. Looking over the longer term, Virginia’s revenue—the state’s ability to invest in schools, health care, and everything else that builds the foundation of strong communities—isn’t keeping up with the growing needs of a growing state.
Solving Virginia’s Revenue Shortfall
Virginia is facing yet another round of potential cuts to vital protections for families and key investments in the future...
Shared Challenges: Underfunded Schools
A series of public hearings the state Board of Education is holding on the needs of public schools is an excellent opportunity for Virginians to tell the Board that cuts in support for education have hurt schools and kids and stand in the way of helping all communities to thrive.
When the Right Hand Meets the Left, A Tax Credit’s True Cost Emerges
Virginia’s Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit is costing taxpayers twice as much as initially thought, according to a recent report to the Joint Subcommittee to Evaluate Tax Preferences.
Weighing Support for Virginia’s Students
Virginia’s state support for students from families that struggle economically lags behind many other states and behind what research shows is needed to provide these students with the same opportunities to be successful in the classroom as their financially more secure peers.
If Revenues Fall Short, It’s Not Just Teachers Who Could Feel the Pain
With Governor McAuliffe’s announcement last Friday that state revenue collections came in far lower than forecast for April, it’s clear that Virginia is on a crash course to a big problem unless the next two months bring substantial improvement.
Virginia’s New Budget: A Small Step On a Long Climb Out of the Hole
Virginia’s growing economy has provided state policymakers with some much-needed additional resources to invest in our state’s schools, families, and communities. Policymakers expect to have $3 billion more in state revenues over the next two budget years than in the last two budget years.
Missing the Mark in School Support
Virginia’s Senate and House approved a two-year budget that takes an important step forward by partially restoring support for public schools after many years of significant cuts. Unfortunately, the legislature did not appropriately target the help to school divisions in high-poverty communities that sustained the largest cuts.