Dear Friend,

This week’s newsletter highlights the meeting of the Joint Committee of the Senate and House Finance and Appropriations Committees, special presentations provided by my one of my office staff members and by our summer’s Commonwealth of Virginia Engineering & Science (COVES) Fellow, two days of our Shadowing the Senator program, and select community events. I also share information about the new Richmond People’s Budget program. Thank you for reading this newsletter and staying informed.

The Joint Committee Meeting 

On Wednesday, August 14, the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee, the House Appropriations Committee, and the House Finance Committee met in a Joint Committee to hear presentations from Governor Youngkin and Secretary of Finance Stephen Cummings. The administration reported to the Finance and Appropriations Committees that Virginia had revenue increases of $1.2 billion over the forecast. As we approach the 2025 Session, we will be better poised to consider the areas of critical need within the Commonwealth: public education, health care, housing, infrastructure, and transportation.

Following the meeting of the joint monies committees, the recently-established Joint Tax Policy Subcommittee also convened for the first time. It is clear that Virginia must consider an overhaul of Virginia’s outdated tax code so that the individual income tax is more fair. At present, individuals earning $17,000 or more are all in the same tax bracket. The burden of individual taxes falls on middle-income households while the wealthiest earners pay a significantly smaller portion of their annual income in taxes. The Joint Subcommittee on Tax Policy will consider proposals for changing Virginia’s tax code to bring greater equity and to provide some relief to middle-income families.

Policy Presentations

On Thursday, Laura Akeeson, a COVES Fellow who had applied and was selected to join my office this summer, spent her final day with us sharing her hours of research on the issues of Virginia’s regulatory policies and the growing demands for energy production, distribution, and storage. She also evaluated the Commonwealth’s integration of renewables, nuclear energy, and the opportunities for new technologies such as Virtual Power Plants.

The COVES Fellowship Program began in 2020, with the goal of strengthening ties between the scientific community and state government. The program is also designed to encourage and equip more scientists and engineers to be effective advisors for public policy in the state of Virginia. Laura was the third COVES Fellow that I have hosted in my office since 2020. I will be evaluating her final research paper and recommendations as we head into the 2025 Session, with the goal of translating some of those recommendations into legislative proposals.

Thursday morning, in addition to Laura’s presentation, I and our presenters’ guests also enjoyed listening to two other comprehensive presentations. Luke Goodman, COVES Fellow in the office of Senator Creigh Deeds, highlighted his summer research project, and Gerardo Aguilar Castillo, legislative aide in my office, shared the work on which he has been focused for the past several months. Gerardo has tackled the topic of food deserts that are common in large parts of my Senate district and in many communities throughout Virginia. His interesting presentation summarized the challenges that many people face in accessing nutritious and affordable groceries. Gerardo’s presentation provided a series of recommendations that may lead to legislative proposals for the upcoming Session.

Shadowing the Senator 

This week, my office enjoyed hosting two very talented and thoughtful young women in our Shadowing the Senator program. I love the opportunity to interact with young individuals as they share their own questions about government, policy work, and politics. My staff and I also get to watch these participants grow and develop within the span of a day because of the opportunity to observe a hectic day that may include meetings, campaign efforts, discussions with constituents, and much more.

On Wednesday, Talli joined us for a long and fast-paced day, and she shared these thoughts: 

I would absolutely recommend shadowing Senator Ghazala Hashmi if you have the chance. It’s perfect for learning the inner workings and the everyday happenings of a day working within our local government! I loved all of the people I met and learned from throughout the day, and I left feeling like I had learnt so much from both a senator's perspective and the people who work with her’s perspective! This experience truly left me with a deeper understanding of our government than what I had before.

On Thursday, Riyan drove down from Fredericksburg for another long and packed day, and she offered these reflections: 

Shadowing Senator Hashmi was an eye-opening experience that deepened my understanding and knowledge of the legislative process. I was particularly inspired by her commitment to advocating for her causes and the collaborative effort required to bring about meaningful change. Throughout the day, I had the opportunity to attend committee meetings, observe presentations, and engage with Senator Hashmi’s remarkable staff, whose stories were both inspiring and profound. I also witnessed firsthand the vital role the legislative branch plays in supporting constituents, exemplified by her exceptional Legislative Assistant, Gerardo, who led efforts to secure a pardon for an inspiring incarcerated individual. The opportunity to witness policymaking firsthand was invaluable, and I would highly recommend this experience to anyone interested in public service or government. I’m sad to leave their small team, which made me feel like I had been a part of it for years, but I'll be back soon when running for office, and when I am, it will be thanks to this experience.

My office developed the shadowing program after a high school student asked for this opportunity over the year ago. Since that time, we have had high school and college students participate; we have also had a few adults engage with the opportunity. The Shadowing the Senator program is open for students (high school age or older) and for adult constituents. Interested individuals can reach out by email to [email protected]. 

Richmond People’s Budget

The City of Richmond is launching its Richmond People’s Budget (RVAPB), a participatory budget process allowing City residents to decide how funds are used to improve their communities. Residents can contribute their ideas and vote on the proposals they think are the most important within their community. RVAPB allocates $3 million amongst the city's nine council districts using an equity lens, giving historically underfunded communities in the city more support. The process is broken down into four steps: 

1. Idea Collection - residents share their ideas
2. Proposal Development - Budget Delegates (volunteers) refine those proposed ideas into concrete project proposals. 
3. Voting - community members vote on which projects they want to be funded. 
4. Implementation - projects receive funding to begin construction

Select Community Engagements

We had another extremely busy week. Here are a few highlights:

Last Saturday, I joined an energized Warren County Democratic Committee ready to work hard for this year’s upcoming elections. I enjoyed the opportunity to share more about the work that I have been focused on for the past five years in the Virginia Senate.

On Sunday, I attended one of Richmond sweetest traditions: the annual Carytown Watermelon Festival. It was wonderful to see many small businesses, creative artists, and community members.

I met with Commissioner Nelson Smith (Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services), his team, Delegate Mark Sickles, and Delegate Wendell Walker on Monday morning to evaluate the situation of the Hiram W. Davis Medical Center. Hiram Davis is a state-run hospital in Dinwiddie County that houses some of the most mentally and physically vulnerable. Last week, Commissioner Smith issued a statement outlining a series of extreme challenges facing the facility and proposals for closing the hospital. The meeting ended with a tour of the facility and an opportunity to speak with staff and family members of residents. The future of the facility will necessarily involve families whose loved ones are residents and patients of Hiram Davis.

Later that same day, I joined the Lefty Ladies of Fluvanna County to discuss my work as Chair of Senate Education and Health, and to highlight why I decided to run for office in 2019 and why I am running for Lieutenant Governor.

As Chair of Senate Education and Health, I often tour facilities and hospitals both in and out of my district to understand the healthcare options, needs, and challenges facing Virginians. On Tuesday, I toured Tyler’s Retreat at Iron Bridge, a skilled nursing and rehabilitation center located in Chester. There I had the opportunity to speak with administrators, staff, and both short-term and long-term residents. Workforce shortages continue to impact every level of healthcare, and our shortages in skilled care nursing are especially acute. 

On Wednesday morning, I was honored to receive the Childcare Champion of the Year award alongside Senator Louis Lucas, Delegate Mark Sickles, Delegate Anne Ferrell Tata, and Governor Glenn Youngkin. The Virginia Promise in Action coalition highlighted our shared priority of funding early childhood care and education services that help support working parents, young children, communities, and the economy.  

In the evening on Wednesday, the Chesapeake Climate Action Network honored me as well as several of my Senate and House colleagues as Climate All Stars. Our legislative successes are, in large part, thanks to the hard work of climate researchers, advocates, and organizers who are working tirelessly to protect our natural resources, the Chesapeake Bay, and Virginians from the impacts of climate change.   

On Thursday afternoon, I joined Virginia’s summit meeting of the Board of Supervisors and addressed the Education Steering Committee of the Virginia Association of Counties. I highlighted our work this session in response to the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commissions (JLARC) report on education funding. I look forward to a collaborative process as we work with our local elected officials to address the funding needs of our public education. 

Shortly after meeting with the VACo Education Committee, I joined the Disability Commission to hear presentations on the non-emergency transportation programs offered by the Department of Medical Assistance Services, the paratransit services provided by public service corporations, and voting rights for individuals with disabilities. The commission will continue its work in the following months, concluding with recommendations in advance of the 2025 session.

That Thursday evening, I joined the Virginia League of Conservation Voters (VLCV) for its Central Virginia Scorecard Social, an opportunity to acknowledge the efforts of lawmakers in the area of environmental protections and conservation efforts. I am honored to be recognized as a policy maker who champions efforts to respond to the climate crisis facing us all.

Connecting With My Office

My office can be reached at the following:

Email:  [email protected] 

Phone:  804.698.7515

If you were forwarded this email, you can sign up to receive my office’s weekly newsletter here. 

— Ghazala

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