The Half Sheet

Recent media coverage and debate among state lawmakers shows that Virginia has interest in legalizing casinos. And on Monday, two bills were prefiled for the 2020 legislative session that would do just that.

At the federal level, policy discussions increasingly revolve around wealth taxation as a potential funding source for ambitious proposals.

A fair economy that works for everyone means families are able to provide for themselves and their children. That means having enough food to eat, reliable transportation, and other necessities.

Every child should have access to an excellent education, and in Virginia, it is written into our constitution that the legislature will seek to ensure “an educational program of high quality.” Yet with another year of student outcome data,

Tuition has increased dramatically at Virginia’s four-year colleges and universities, driven in part by deep state cuts in funding for higher education over the past decade. Students who already face the greatest economic and racial barriers to higher education are particularly impacted by these rising costs.

As discussion swirls around the role of immigrants in Virginia communities, especially in the closing days of a highly competitive state election cycle, it’s worth remembering that immigrants move to Virginia for many of the same reasons as people born in other areas of the United States job opportunities, good schools, and thriving communities. It’s also worth remembering that our immigrant neighbors help create and maintain those strong businesses, schools, and communities.

While tax laws may seem racially neutral, research has shown that tax policy choices often have substantially different impacts by…

On Sept. 19, the Virginia Board of Education put forward ambitious, critically important revisions to how the state funds public education in the state’s Standards of Quality (SOQ).

Incomes remained fairly steady in 2018 for middle-class Virginia households after adjusting for inflation, yet poverty rates remain well above pre-recession levels and income inequality is increasing. Compared to two years ago, median household income is up 1.9% in Virginia to $72,577 in 2018.

No one should have to choose between putting food on the table and making a rent payment. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) helps families afford healthy food without sacrificing other necessities.

If everything goes according to schedule, Virginia’s tax department will begin issuing $110 refund checks – $220 for joint filers – to Virginia taxpayers beginning next week and continuing through the first half of October.

As Labor Day approaches and we celebrate the contributions and achievements of working people, we must also acknowledge the barriers that many continue to face.