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Virginia House of Delegates 48th District!
Virginia’s 48th Delegate District covers much of north Arlington and the area along the Potomac from Chain Bridge to National Airport. I’m proud to have represented the 48th District’s citizens in Richmond since 1998. I hope you’ll take a few minutes to read about my background, the legislation I’ve championed in Richmond, and my stand on the issues that matter to Arlington, Northern Virginia, and the Commonwealth.
I encourage you to visit my website often. Through the blog on this page I intend to keep you informed on what I see happening on a state level and what it means for Arlington. Please contact me if you have any questions or if there’s an issue involving state government that I can help you resolve.
RSS SUBSCRIBE- General (3)
- Newsletters (1)
- Parks and Recreation (1)
- Public Meetings (2)
- Survey (1)
- Transportation (1)
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ISSUES VITAL TO THE COMMONWEALTH’S FUTURE
Virginia’s state government in Richmond plays a major role in carrying out core responsibilities that are vital to the Commonwealth’s future. Four of these responsibilities — Health Care, Public Education, Environment, Transportation – affect the lives of every Arlingtonian. How we address those responsibilities, and how we plan for the future, will determine whether we will become “The Virginia We Want to Be.”
My latest Newsletter, Report to the 48th District – News from the General Assembly, Spring 2010, provides Legislative and Budget highlights from the 2010 session.
Dominating the discussion in Richmond, and impacting all of these topics during the 2010 General Assembly, is the biennial BUDGET. The chart below lays out the challenges we face:
Due to the national economic downturn – the deepest and longest since the Great Depression – we entered 2010 with an imbalance between state government income and expenditures. On the revenue side of the ledger, the new Governor made clear his opposition to increasing revenue through any general tax increase at this time. Aside from user fee increases and minor revenue projection adjustments, this meant the state budget would be balanced through cuts in services.
Where to cut? As you can see from the graph above, 75% of state “General Fund” (discretionary) expenditures are in five areas:
● Medicaid
● K-12 Education
● Higher Education
● Corrections/Public Safety
● Car Tax Reimbursement to Localities
The BUDGET that the General Assembly adopted in March of 2010 made cuts in all areas except Car Tax Reimbursement.
Learn More
● A large (and growing) segment of the state budget is “tax preferences” – corporate tax credits, deductions, and other incentives. In 2009, these preferences amounted to $224 million. Under legislation passed this session the General Assembly’s Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission will study these expenditures to make sure they’re effective in their goal of spurring economic growth and development.
● For those interested in an in-depth explanation and analysis of state and local tax law in Virginia, the Division of Legislative Services has published A Legislator’s Guide to Taxation in Virginia.
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