Governor Northam continues to copy Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin’s proposed tax cuts for Virginians. On Tuesday he announced his last budget will include elimination of the state tax on groceries which was a key element in Youngkin’s proposed tax cuts.
Virginia is one of only 14 states with a tax on groceries.
Northam’s final budget will be announced on Thursday and will also include a reduction in taxes for low-income Virginians and a one-time state tax rebate for all taxpayers. Individual taxpayers would receive $250 and a married couple’s rebate would be $500.
Glenn Youngkin’s transition aide, Macaulay Porter, responded to the Governor’s tax proposals:
“Governor-elect Youngkin campaigned on reducing the cost of living, fully funding our law enforcement personnel, raising teacher pay, increasing HBCU funding, expanding broadband access, and eliminating the grocery tax for all Virginians as part of his Day One game plan, Virginians throughout the Commonwealth overwhelmingly embraced those ideals. Governor Northam’s budget proposal is a step in the right direction but does not entirely fulfill Virginians’ mandate.
“We appreciate the Northam administration laying the foundation for these elements of the Day One game plan so that Governor-Elect Youngkin can hit the ground running on January 15th to begin executing on his key campaign promises and finish the job.”
Incoming House speaker Todd Gilbert (R-Shenandoah) also responded to Northam’s proposed tax cuts:
“Now we know what it takes to get Virginia Democrats to propose cutting taxes — losing to a Republican.”