The Half Sheet

This week Governor Northam announced a series of investments in Virginia’s public schools that he will include in his amendments to the state’s 2018-2020 budget.

State and local taxes play an important role in shaping economic opportunity. These tax revenues pay for the schools, roads, parks, and libraries that create a foundation for thriving communities.

Last Wednesday, the House Select Committee on School Safety had their final meeting to discuss the 24 priority recommendations put forth by House Speaker Kirk Cox. The wide-ranging proposals

Survivors of domestic violence may face additional barriers to accessing Medicaid coverage if work requirement exemptions are taken away from them.

Announcements of job projections related to economic development deals can be exciting opportunities for elected officials, but it’s critical that elected leadership, media, and the rest of us take a careful look at the realistic benefits and drawbacks of the deal, including related public subsidies and the tradeoffs that come with adding thousands – or tens of thousands – of jobs.

About 55,000 veteran and military families in Virginia currently receive the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Virginia has its own

State lawmakers have an opportunity to protect individuals in Virginia against the bait and switch of short-term, limited duration (STLD) health insurance plans.

For over a century, the Statue of Liberty has proclaimed a promise of the United States as a refuge and dream for “huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore.”

Virginia’s state and local taxes help to shape economic opportunity across the state. Unfortunately, the current state and local tax system is upside down.

Virginia’s inadequate investment in public colleges and universities over the last decade has contributed to rising tuition prices, often leaving students with little choice but to take on more debt or give up on their dreams of going to college.

For too many women in our state, work often does not pay enough. The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) helps many hardworking families with low and moderate incomes, especially those with young children, make ends meet and also provides a number of other important benefits for families. 

In September, the state Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) released a proposed 1115 demonstration waiver to implement the Creating Opportunities for Medicaid Participants to Achieve Self-Sufficiency (COMPASS) program.