A budget that puts Virginia's families first

March 21, 2012

This morning, advocacy organizations from across Virginia gathered to urge lawmakers to put Virginia families first in their negotiations. The proposed House and Senate budgets give away hundreds of thousands of dollars to corporate special interests and the 1% while Virginia families are left behind.

Progressive Point: Budgets are a roadmap for our priorities as a community, but this one is leading us in the wrong direction. Lawmakers in Richmond have proposed hundreds of millions of dollars in handouts to corporations and the 1% while essential community services on which Virginia families depend are left behind. The proposed Senate budget can't find the money to adequately fund public education and cuts over 4500 seniors out of Medicaid care, but the state is giving away $40 million in tax credits to coal companies and another $25 million in private school tax credits.

Virginians want a budget that reflects our priorities. Our representatives need to take the time to get it right. Its time to stop the political games and corporate handouts and negotiate a budget that puts Virginia families first.

Get the Facts:

• Participating organizations calling on state legislators to put Virginia families first include: Alliance for Progressive Values, The Martin L. King, Jr. Living History & Public Policy Center, NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia, ProgressVA, Virginia Association of Personal Care Assistants, Virginia Organizing, Virginia New Majority, and Voice of Vietnamese Americans.


• Conservative legislators propose to severely underfund public education, spending $400 million less than we did five years ago even though student enrollment is on the rise. At the same time they want to give away $25 million dollars in private school tax credits.


• Medicaid cuts proposed by conservatives would eliminate over 4500 seniors from long-term care programs while same budget hands out $40 million in tax credits to coal companies.


• Over 60% of Virginia corporations pay no income taxes.

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