#Datacenters shouldn’t be powered by dirty fuels while Virginians foot the bill. Our legislators must ensure the tech industry’s growth is paired with clean, affordable energy.

Read article via @virginianpilot here: www.pilotonline.com/2026/03/28/l...

#vapolitics #valeg #ai #vabudget

McClellan, advocates call for subsidies to be restored as ACA anniversary approaches Health care continues to be a sticking point in Washington and Richmond, as state and federal lawmakers clash over funding Obamacare subsidies that expired last year.

The #ACA anniversary is a reminder: more people got coverage, fewer went without care.

But as TCI’s Ashley Kenneth says, “that progress is all imperiled” by federal cuts.

Now, #VaBudget choices will determine whether families keep coverage or lose it.

Support Virginia Communities by Supporting Health Safety Net Facilities - The Commonwealth Institute Virginia health safety net facilities provide care regardless of ability to pay. Federal policy changes could strain clinics and shift costs statewide.

When people lose #HealthCare coverage, they still need care.

As federal changes push more people off coverage, safety-net facilities will see increased demand.

We explain what’s at stake — and why the final #VaBudget must support these providers. ⤵️

Virginia’s Budget Opportunity: Turning Fair Tax Choices into Needed Investments - The Commonwealth Institute Virginia budget negotiations will shape investments in schools, health care, and tax fairness. See what’s at stake in the House and Senate plans.

Fair tax choices create #VaBudget opportunities.

Recent #VaLeg proposals — including rejecting corporate giveaways & closing the data center tax loophole — would help fund critical investments in schools, health care & families.

What’s in the plans⤵️

Session 2026: Key Budget Policy Choices - The Commonwealth Institute Session 2026 Virginia budget analysis: Explore key funding proposals affecting schools, health care, and community priorities.

It’s here!

Our side-by-side comparison of the money committee #VaBudget proposals is now live.

See how the introduced, House, and Senate plans stack up compared to the current budget at:
thecommonwealthinstitute.org/tci_research...

Virginia Money Committees Reject Corporate Tax Breaks, Restore Health Care Funding, and Boost School Funding; Senate Requires Data Centers Pay Their Fair Share - The Commonwealth Institute Additional work is needed to make even more transformative investments in long-underfunded public services Today, Ashley Kenneth, President and CEO of The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis (T...

After Youngkin's harmful #VaBudget proposal, #VaLeg is correcting course.

✅ Corporate tax breaks rejected
✅ Health funding restored
✅ Extra $ for schools
✅ Data centers to pay their share per Senate

More work ahead.

TCI promotional graphic titled “Virginia Budget Breakdown.” Lists Wednesday, February 25 at 12:00 PM and a “Register Today” button; advertises analysts discussing differences between proposed budgets in education, health care, and next steps. Money background with “20 TCI & Beyond” logo.

Gráfico promocional de TCI titulado “Resumen del Presupuesto Fiscal de Virginia.” Indica miércoles 25 de febrero a las 12:00 PM e invita a registrarse hoy para escuchar a analistas explicar diferencias presupuestarias en educación, salud y próximos pasos de políticas; fondo con billetes y logotipo “20 TCI & Beyond”.

#VaBudget proposals drop February 22.

We’ll spend the following days digging in. On Feb. 25, we'll explain major investments in each proposal, key differences, and where to focus advocacy.

Join us: bit.ly/va-budget-webinar26b

Take Action: Invest in Affordability - The Commonwealth Institute To invest in affordability, Virginia must fix its upside-down tax code and fund the basics families need to thrive.

Budget choices decide whether we pay our #FairShare together — or families pay later through fees, debt, and higher bills.

📢 Ask lawmakers to invest in affordability 🔗⤵️
#VaBudget

Choosing Care Over Corporate Tax Cuts: A Better Path for Virginia’s Budget - The Commonwealth Institute What’s at stake in the Virginia health care budget discussion: prenatal care, provider access, dental benefits, SNAP, and ACA coverage.

Virginia’s budget should choose care over corporate tax cuts.

Our latest analysis shows where Youngkin's #VaBudget proposal puts #HealthCare and #SNAP food assistance at risk — and the opportunities #VaLeg has to choose a better path.

Time to Reexamine Virginia’s Relationship with the Federal Tax Code - The Commonwealth Institute Virginia tax conformity debate: explore how aligning with federal tax changes affects state revenue and policy priorities.

#VaLeg must decide: mimic harmful federal tax changes in state code or protect our resources to #FundOurSchools, #HealthCare, and other shared priorities.

Our new report explains the debate ⤵️
#TaxFairness4Va #VaBudget

The State of State Revenues: Tight Budget Year Shows Why Virginia Needs New Revenues - The Commonwealth Institute Virginia state revenues show why one-time funds aren’t enough — and why new, sustainable revenues are needed to invest in communities.

A balanced budget isn’t the same as a strong budget.

Our latest report explains why Virginia needs new, sustainable revenues to invest in families & communities.
#VaBudget

Money and the words State Budget appear in the background. Text in the foreground says "Statement: Governor Youngkin's Budget Cuts Health Care, Fails to Provide Needed Resources in K-12 and More"

❌Cuts to #HealthCare
❌No improvements for #K12
❌No new resources to invest in our communities

#Virginia can do better — and we must.

Our full statement on the outgoing #VaBudget:
http://bit.ly/tci-budget-statement-Dec25

Policy Choices to Protect and Increase Investment in Virginia Communities - The Commonwealth Institute Reforming Virginia’s tax code can create a fairer system, strengthen communities, and help us invest in the future. Here are some options.

#Virginia has long underfunded key programs — and federal cuts will only deepen the strain.

#VaLeg faces tough choices, but TCI’s new report outlines commonsense tax reforms that can increase fairness and boost community investment.
#VaBudget

Details ⤵

Impacts of Recent Federal Bill (OBBB) on Virginia’s Budget - The Commonwealth Institute By understanding the federal impact on Virginia's budget, we will be better equipped to respond to challenges posed by recent Medicaid and SNAP choices.

The recent federal bill will be damaging to the people of Virginia and also to our state’s capacity to help families meet their basic needs.

More details on the growing cost for the #VaBudget. ⤵️

Doing Our Work in Virginia: How Virginia’s Legislature is Investing in Communities (2025 Session Recap) - The Commonwealth Institute The progress we made during Virginia's 2025 legislative session is a good reminder of what we can accomplish when we work together.

Federal uncertainty makes our state work even more critical.

The progress we made this #VaLeg session highlights the power of the #VaBudget, what we can accomplish together, and how continued collaboration can impact our future.

More in our recap⤵️

An image of young people sitting in a semi circle is in the background. White text over a red background says Victory! A win for Virginia's students. Lawmakers’ choice to fully lift the arbitrary cap on state funding for support staff in public schools was included in the final budget! The final budget also includes additional, flexible support for students with disabilities thanks to the hard work of many advocates! A logo for The Commonwealth Institute is in the bottom center.

Need more good news?!

The final #VaBudget includes two key #VaLeg choices to #FundOurSchools:

1. Covering the state share of an additional 4,725 support staff to help students succeed in class
2. Additional $ specific to helping students with special needs overcome barriers — a 1st for Virginia!

A happy family of four. Text says Victory! A win for working families in Virginia. Lawmakers’ choice to improve the state Earned Income Tax Credit was included in the final budget! Qualifying families can expect a bigger refund when filing taxes next year, helping them put food on the table, keep the lights on, and more!

Need some good news?

#VaLeg's choice to improve Virginia's refundable #EITC was included in the final #VaBudget!

A married couple with two children and a $30,000 income, for example, will get over $1,000 back at tax time next year — $300+ more than this year.

Column: Proposed SNAP cuts would leave Hampton Roads families hungry A federal reduction in SNAP benefits would harm Virginians and blow a massive hole in the state budget, Virginia Sen. Mamie E. Locke writes in a guest column.

For Senator Locke, the fight to #SaveSNAP isn't just personal.

Shifting just 10% of costs to #Virginia would:
❌ blow a $352M hole in #VaBudget
❌ put 827,000 Virginians at risk of going hungry
❌ esp. harm Hampton Roads, where 1 in 4 people who use SNAP live

Session 2025: Key Budget Policy Choices - The Commonwealth Institute Virginia's budget affects everything and everyone in our lives. Here's summary looks at each proposal being considered during Session 2025.

You've seen some news articles. Maybe you've perused the governor's 200+ #VaBudget amendments.

But wouldn't it be nice if someone made a simple side-by-side comparison of key budget choices by #VaLeg and #VaGov?

We thought so. Get your copy here ⤵️

Governor’s Budget Choices Attempt To Give Many Misguided and Failed Policies A Second Life - The Commonwealth Institute The governor’s budget amendments include an important choice for working families, but stands in the way of important progress the General Assembly made in February.

The governor’s #VaBudget amendments include a key choice for working families (i.e. #EITC), but overall will stand in the way of critical progress made by lawmakers in February.

#VaLeg should reject harmful proposals and #ProtectOurProgress.

Our statement ⤵️

Some initial insights from TCI's pres/CEO on what we know of the gov's #VaBudget choices ⤵️

Session 2025: Key Budget Policy Choices - The Commonwealth Institute Virginia's budget affects everything and everyone in our lives. Here's summary looks at each proposal being considered during Session 2025.

🔥 Hot off the (digital) press 🔥

Our #VaBudget comparison now includes the compromise proposal released on Thursday. The compromise budget is a win for Virginia students and families. #VaLeg

See what choices budget negotiators made ⤵️

Conference Budget Increases Tax Fairness, Strengthens Public Schools, and Creates Opportunities for Workers - The Commonwealth Institute We strongly urge Gov. Youngkin to approve transformative investments in the conference budget that will expand opportunity and support people across Virginia

#VaBudget negotiators released their proposal, which includes transformative investments that will expand opportunity and support for people across #Virgina.

#VaLeg will vote on this soon, and we urge #VaGov to sign it into law.

Full statement ⤵️

White text on a red background says Roses are red, Violets are blue, Budgets show priorities, What will Virginia do? Paper hearts are scattered across the image

We expect a final #VaBudget proposal next week.

Reach out to key lawmakers to share what your priorities are: bit.ly/invest-in-va

#PolicyValentines
#TciValentines

Dark text on a teal background says Sometimes the best Valentines, Come without the cost and fuss, But are shown through taking action, To protect the health of 630,000 plus. A stethoscope and white hearts are in the bottom right corner.

#VaLeg can protect the #HealthCare of over 630,000 people who access coverage through Medicaid expansion in their final #VaBudget proposal.

Reach out to key lawmakers today: bit.ly/action-va-health-care

#PolicyValentines
#TciValentines

White text on red background says Roses are red, violets are blue, No one should face a judge without counsel, Change is long overdue! A red rose is in the corner.

Take action today to urge #VaBudget negotiators to include "counsel at first appearance" in the final budget: bit.ly/cafa-action

#JusticeFromTheStart
#PolicyValentines
#TciValentines

Nothing eclipses my heart — we’re talking full totality — Like how lifting the support cap Would impact each locality A portion of a yellow heart on a dark background

And by locality, we mean school divisions.

Get the data on the benefits of this #VaBudget choice: bit.ly/lifting-the-cap

#FundOurSchools
#PolicyValentines
#TciValentines

Piecing it Together: House and Senate Budgets Hold Opportunities for Protecting and Investing in Families and Communities - The Commonwealth Institute Recent House and Senate budget proposals provide a key opportunity to share what’s important to our families and our communities. Details...

If everything runs on time, we expect a negotiated #VaBudget proposal on/around Wednesday, Feb. 19.

That makes this next week a critical time to reach out to lawmakers about your priorities. (Do that here bit.ly/invest-in-va)

Details on their starting points⤵️

a image of a doctor and patient appear in the background. Yellow and white text on a blue overlay says Protect Access to Health Care. Virginia’s 2018 choice to expand Medicaid has provided a critical safety net for over 630,000 people across the commonwealth. Our victory is in jeopardy due to federal discussions to cut Medicaid funding. Act now.

In their recent #VaBudget proposal, Va. Senate would require a meeting to consider options b4 automatically disrupting #HealthCare coverage if fed govt cuts MedEx $.

Urge lawmakers to strengthen the final budget proposal to give #VaLeg more time to act: bit.ly/action-va-health-care

The latest from @wvtf.bsky.social shows some highlights from the recent #VaBudget proposals. 🔗⤵️

Get our full side-by-side here: thecommonwealthinstitute.org/tci_research...