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HARRISONBURG, Va. – On Friday at 11AM in Harrisonburg, local leaders will highlight what’s at stake in the current Virginia budget negotiations for school funding in Harrisonburg City and Rockingham County. Harrisonburg Mayor Deanne Reed will join Harrisonburg Education Association President Andy Thompson and area teachers to discuss a new report by The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis on how much funding area schools could see from adoption of the Senate budget proposal.
The Harrisonburg event is the fifth and final stop in Freedom Virginia’s “Show Us Your Values” mobile billboard tour, after stops in Virginia Beach, Loudoun County, Henrico County, and Newport News.
Following Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s call for legislators to finish the budget, Harrisonburg local elected officials and community members will call for legislators to make investments in Virginia communities instead of giving tax handouts to big corporations and the wealthiest Virginians.
In the coming weeks, legislators in the General Assembly will make a simple choice: adopt the Senate budget and give $1 billion to Virginia public schools or adopt Governor Youngkin and House Republicans’ budget, which contains $1 billion in tax cuts, mostly for corporations and the richest Virginians.
The Senate budget would mean $4.3 million for Harrisonburg City public schools, or $689 more per student. The increased funding under the Senate Plan would add 51 staffers to Harrisonburg City schools, including school staff like counselors, social workers and nurses. Rockingham County schools would receive an additional $5.8 million which breaks down to $524 per student. The funds would allow an additional 78 staff positions.
WHO:
Harrisonburg Mayor Deanna Reed
Harrisonburg Education Association President Andy Thompson
Jonathan Nateghi-Asli, retired educator
WHAT: ‘Show Us Your Values’ tour with General Assembly Members and local leaders calling for greater investments in school funding.
WHERE: 850 W Market St, Harrisonburg, VA 22801
WHEN: Fri. June 16, 2023 at 11 a.m.
RSVP: Press should RSVP to BGODFREY@freedomva.org or 650-521-1997.
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