RICHMOND, Va. – Governor Glenn Youngkin is sharing his thoughts on the budget the General Assembly recently passed.
“This budget moves us backward,” Youngkin said.
Youngkin said the current budget needs a lot of work because it negatively impacts Virginians.
“That’s reducing the cost of living in Virginia,” Youngkin said.
Youngkin said the budget the General Assembly passed impacts Virginians by raising taxes, and claims there’s a $2 billion increase for sales tax and $600 million in potential new taxes on electricity bills.
“I firmly believe Virginians are overtaxed and we have worked on that over the last two years,” Youngkin said.
The budget approved Saturday excludes many of the priorities Youngkin included in a proposal he submitted in December which included a $2 billion development district with a new arena to lure the NBA’s Washington Wizards and the NHL’s Washington Capitals to Alexandria and give Virginia its first major pro sports teams.
“This is the biggest economic boost in the commonwealth, 30,000 jobs and $12 billion in economic boost, and that economic boost flows through the entire commonwealth, which includes I-81,” Youngkin said.
The governor said there is work that needs to get done before finalizing the budget.
He plans to meet with General Assembly leaders to negotiate a bipartisan deal when the session reconvenes in mid-April.