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** Wiley’s Richmond Roundup
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** Week 7, Sine Die
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Dear Friends,
The House and Senate agreed on a budget on Saturday, marking the conclusion of our 2025 legislative session. Of the nine bills I presented this session, seven are on their way to the Governor.
As this was an off year, the main work at hand was to amend the bi-annual budget agreed to in 2024. During meetings with the Appropriations Committee, I was able to work collaboratively to trim some pork and get this budget into a more acceptable place than it was when first proposed. Make no mistake, there’s plenty in there that I do not like or agree with, but in the world of political budgeting, there is no perfect.
Let me share some positive highlights:
* It gives rebate checks to taxpayers, makes big investments in our schools and public employees, and does not raise taxes.
* The budget provides a $200/$400 rebates for hard-working Virginians, putting a total of $1.1 billion back into their pockets.
* It increases the standard deduction to $17,500 for joint filers, saving taxpayers money on a permanent basis.
* It increases the refundability of the Earned Income Tax Credit, putting millions of dollars back into the hands of lower income Virginians.
* It puts $50 million toward disaster relief for those in areas hit by Hurricane Helene flooding.
* The budget adds $782 million in state funds to our public schools, and lifts the cap on support personnel imposed during the Great Recession.
* The budget includes $12 million to develop high-quality curriculum materials for math programs to help kids catch up from COVID.
* It pays a $1,000 bonus to teachers in June with no local match required.
* State and state supported local employees will get a 1.5 percent bonus this summer.
* E-911 dispatchers get a raise, as do state employees.
* It's not a budget that a Republican House would have written, but it reflects a balanced set of investments of the public's hard earned tax dollars.
The brightest feature in the budget is positive news for our schools. A team of state legislators are in the process of reviewing and revising the antiquated school funding formula. This budget FINALLY lifts the cap on support staff that was imposed during the Great Recession, adding an additional $782 million into our public schools. What does this mean? In Winchester, approximately 60% of our students speak a language other than English. But under the support staff cap, the state only funded a small portion of the teachers needed to support English as a Second Language students. The local government was on the hook to fund the remainder. Now, the state is pulling their weight and alleviating some of the pressure from the local budget.
This budget is reflective of the best we can do under a Democrat majority. The upcoming election cycle is crucial.
If you heard me speak prior to session, you know I preached playing “DEFENSE.” Now, the bills that passed the House and Senate are off to our final line of defense, Governor Youngkin. If we did not have a principled, Republican in the Governor’s office, bills that infringed upon our 2nd Amendment and increased government overreach would become law.
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MUST WATCH! Hypocrisy is House Democrats lambasting Republicans on Education funding, when they spend more on facilities at UVA than K-12 school construction.
** Spotlight: A Personal Tribute
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Honoring the Life of my uncle, Lewis S. Wiley. Thank you, Geary Michael Higgins ([link removed][0]=AZX9UhHnhs6c1V5bq91xx0XX6zrF81g_271gFBNbOkt_z0qrPL4GMeQoGXf5-NNzJ4A07GpiD5g-MzqSjHbjgHfIPWNTKqJl8S99JD7GTgjw7ssvyV8HRE0Uk2yh_-BcvoCOJKm55D3Dg-KorrG3_YfcjSDpeaN4ughVTR5pybED0oHVdncvvWDWWOe9LczUcVI&__tn__=-]K*F) for introducing a resolution on his behalf.
Lewis S. Wiley was a respected horseman, cattle farmer, and longtime Fauquier County resident. A graduate of the University of Virginia, Lewis spent over 50 years at Gordonsdale Farm, dedicating his life to training horses, stewarding local steeplechase races, and serving on the boards of Marshall National Bank and Oak View Bank.
His kindness, compassion, and contributions to the community will never be forgotten. The resolution is a tribute to his remarkable life and the many lives he touched.
📜 Read the full resolution here:
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** Stay up to date!
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Richmond Phone: 804-698-1032
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