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From left: Delegate Joshua Cole, Senator Ghazala Hashmi, Senator Aaron Rouse, Ryan O’Toole, Rodrigo Soto, Chad Stewart and Rachael Deane. Download high-resolution photos from the event HERE.
RICHMOND, Va. — Freedom Virginia, along with lawmakers and advocates, announced today a 5-part “Get Ahead Agenda” that will empower hardworking families to keep more of what they earn and build their future.
The announcement comes ahead of Governor Youngkin’s budget presentation next Wednesday, December 18. The group urged the governor to include the 5-part agenda in his budget priorities to ensure hardworking Virginians can get ahead. The “Get Ahead Agenda” will:
- Lower the cost of medicine by creating a Prescription Drug Affordability Board;
- Save parents money with a new child tax credit and child care cost-savings programs;
- Help renters afford to buy a house with a first-time homebuyer’s tax credit;
- Ensure more people can retire in dignity through the expansion of the RetirePath program to part-time workers who work at least 20 hours per week;
- Ask corporations and the ultra-wealthy to pay their fair share to fund the right priorities by instituting a millionaire’s tax on earned income surpassing $1 million per year and closing a key corporate tax loophole by instituting combined reporting.
“Today’s economy just doesn’t work for the middle class, but it does work for corporations and the ultra-wealthy,” said Ryan O’Toole, Co-Executive Director of Freedom Virginia. “That’s why our ‘Get Ahead’ agenda is centered around ensuring Virginia is more fair and affordable for hardworking people by making corporations and the ultra-wealthy pay their fair share, just as the middle class does.”
“Every hardworking Virginian deserves the right to retire in dignity,” said Senator Aaron Rouse (D-Virginia Beach). “They deserve to have that dignity reflected in their paycheck, but when people struggle to get ahead living day-to-day, it makes it extremely hard for them to even think about retirement.”
Currently, in Virginia, only people 18 years and older who work over 30 hours a week are eligible for RetirePath Virginia. The program, created in 2021, allows employees who might not have access through their employer to take advantage of retirement benefits and savings. The “Get Ahead Agenda” would expand eligibility requirements to more Virginia workers.
“Buying and owning a home has moved from the American Dream to the Impossible Dream,” said Delegate Joshua Cole (D-Fredericksburg). “We can break down barriers here in Virginia by helping Virginians look at buying their first house.”
“To truly and positively impact families, we must pass a state budget that helps Virginians with their household budgets,” said Senator Ghazala Hashmi (D-Richmond). “As we know, our budgets, whether they are state budgets or our own personal, family budgets, are decisions based on values. We develop priorities and we invest in those areas that we truly value – a home and food on the table for our families, or affordable and accessible health care for Virginians.”
Homebuyer’s assistance is critical for Virginians. There are plans like the Homeownership Down Payment Assistance Program and Virginia Individual Development Accounts, but the “Get Ahead Agenda” will seek to provide a first-time homebuyer’s tax credit to hardworking Virginians looking to purchase their first house.
“The exorbitant cost of child care forces parents to face devastating decisions about whether to stay in the workforce,” said Rachael Deane, Chief Executive Office of Voices for Virginia’s Children. “The truth is simple: Virginia can’t achieve a vibrant workforce, and families can’t get ahead without high-quality, affordable child care options.”
“Let’s be clear, we can’t have it both ways,” said Chad Stewart, Policy Analyst for the Virginia Education Association. “We can’t claim we’re making historic investments in education while underfunding our public schools by billions of dollars each year. We can’t keep asking our hardworking families and educators to carry the same tax rates as income millionaires.”
The 2024-2026 biennial state budget made record investments for Virginia children with over $1 billion that will be allocated to K-12 schools over the next two years, including a 3% pay increase for school employees each year. Despite the historic investment, child care in the state still needs increased funding. Over 10,000 children are on waiting lists for state-funded child care programs, and fully funding state programs would allow all children the opportunity to succeed.
“Virginia is a Commonwealth without common wealth,” said Rodrigo Soto, Legislative and Campaigns Director for The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis. “It’s time we start living up to our name so that every family who is struggling just to get by has a fair shot at getting ahead.”
Prescription drug costs are taking up a greater share of the average family’s health care costs, rising to be responsible for nearly 25% of health insurance costs since 2018. The Inflation Reduction Act empowered Medicare to negotiate the price of certain high-cost drugs, resulting in lower prices on 10 prescription medications. Over 150,000 Virginians who rely on Medicare will benefit from these cost savings starting January 1, 2026. Establishing a Prescription Drug Affordability Board, an independent body of health and medical experts using proven, data-based strategies that are already working in other states, would lower costs for the other 7+ million Virginians not on Medicare.
Watch the video HERE.
Download high-resolution photos from the event HERE.
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