Some of Governor Glenn Youngkin’s proposed tax cuts hit some speed bumps this week.
Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin began the General Assembly session earlier this month by asking lawmakers to ditch the tax on tips and create a tax credit to offset the car tax. But Democrats who control appropriations in the House and Senate are rejecting those ideas, at least for now. Republican Senate Leader Ryan McDougle says it's still early in the process.
"I never get but so worked up about the Senate proposal or the House proposal because we have to come up with a joint proposal and the governor has to agree," he explains.
Senate Finance and Appropriations Chairwoman Louise Lucas says lawmakers are trying to balance the books in uncertain times.
"Just this morning, the Trump administration has frozen all the grants and aid coming to the states, and so we don't know what our budget is going to look like," Lucas says. "So, how do we know what we can do?"
She acknowledges that ditching the tax on tips and getting rid of the car tax might be popular with voters, but Senator Mamie Locke says Democrats also have ideas that resonate with voters.
"Let the wealthy pay their fair share," says Locke. "And close the corporate loopholes."
Democrats who run the money committees in the House and Senate are planning to release their budget proposals this weekend, and then lawmakers will haggle it out with each other and the governor before the fiscal year starts in July.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
