We adjourned the General Assembly session without completing the off-year amended budget, instead passing a “skinny budget” to keep the Commonwealth running. Although negotiations between budget conferees have continued into the summer and past the July 1 start of fiscal year 2024, no agreement is in sight, jeopardizing a $3.6 million surplus. At this point, there are no plans for a special session of the General Assembly on the budget. While Virginia will avoid a government shutdown, additional funding adjustment amendments have been set aside.
During an even year when the biennial budget is created, the Secretary of Finance provides revenue forecasts to the General Assembly, which serves as the basis for the two-year budget. However, adjustments are necessary during the session when subsequent reports on actual funds become available, accounting for discrepancies or surpluses. In some cases, important funding efforts are cut due to insufficient funds, but they can be reinstated in the amended off-year budget. Many of these measures include small “home-cooking” amendments that legislators file to benefit their local communities. Examples of such projects include the funding I requested for the Gum Springs Historic Society and Museum, the WISH workforce development center in Hybla Valley, and a study on salt runoff in local waterways. Unfortunately, local projects like these across Virginia are currently on hold.
As a Democrat, I support using the surplus funds to make historic investments in teachers, counselors, and support staff, targeting academic achievement and addressing the challenges of learning loss. An investment of $1 billion in our schools will improve teacher pay, provide mental health support for students, reduce class sizes, and enhance resources for repairing and replacing outdated school buildings. This investment in public education will ultimately create a strong and attractive workforce as companies consider relocating to Virginia, as exemplified by Amazon, Lego, Boeing, and others.
On the other hand, Youngkin and the Republicans plan to divert funds from education through a $1 billion tax cut favoring the wealthy and corporations. This proposed tax cut would be an ongoing annual occurrence, which is not fiscally responsible.
The budget reflects the values of our Commonwealth. We should demonstrate to Virginians that we prioritize the quality of public education and the success of Virginia students over tax cuts that disproportionately benefit the wealthy. Any budget surplus is irrelevant when critical needs such as affordable childcare, funding for high-quality teachers, and an accessible healthcare system to support mental health remain unmet.
Furthermore, this week the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) released an 18-month report, spanning 160 pages, on Virginia’s K-12 Funding Formula. The findings are alarming, revealing that public schools are severely underfunded, with students bearing the consequences.
Virginia allocates approximately $1,900 less per student than the national and regional average, even after accounting for regional differences in labor costs. Schools across the Commonwealth face challenges with staffing shortages, lost learning time, a growing mental health crisis, and critically low state funding for vital programs. Fully funding Virginia’s public schools is crucial to providing students with the tools they need to succeed.