Press Release

Youngkin: Finding common ground is what Virginians expect us to do

Apr 12, 2024

ICYMI: Governor Glenn Youngkin continues to call on the General Assembly to come together around a Common Ground Budget that funds key, bipartisan priorities without raising taxes on Virginia families.

“Common ground here is to not change tax policy…the collective effort to find common ground is what Virginians expect of us,” Governor Youngkin said.

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Virginia Republicans and Democrats came together over the past two years to pass bipartisan budgets signed into law that made record investments in students, teachers, behavioral health, and law enforcement – all while providing $5 billion in tax relief for Virginia families.

The Common Ground Budget continues that bipartisan record of success by funding shared priorities without raising taxes, including:

  • Record $21.3 billion in K-12 education
  • Caps on higher education tuition increases
  • Pay raises for teachers and state employees
  • Increased investments in health and human resources by $3.2 billion
  • $745 million to fully fund Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance
  • $175 million for affordable housing
  • $72.5 million for community violence intervention programs
  • Toll relief in Hampton Roads
  • $70 million to expedite projects on I-81
  • Full funding of Virginia’s share of Metro’s short-term funding needs

 

Governor Youngkin believes that with inflation continuing to raise the cost of living on Virginia families, now is not the time to increase taxes when the strength of Virginia’s economy means we can fund these priorities without burdening Virginians with a tax increase.

“I think we can land this because the Virginia economy is doing great. We have 200,000 more people working than two years ago, we can afford to fund our priorities, and we certainly aren’t going to raise taxes,” Youngkin said.

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