Virginia budget fight collides with politics of race [Video]

The politics of race are colliding with Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s continuing attempts to persuade Democratic leaders in the General Assembly to reach a compromise with him on the next two-year state budget to avoid a potential veto.

The amendments would attempt to rewrite the budget they sent him last month, stripping proposed changes to the state sales tax that would generate an additional $1 billion in revenues to help pay for big new investments in priorities such as K-12 and higher education. They rebuffed a similar request after meeting with the governor two weeks ago.

On Jan. 10, Gov. Glenn Youngkin congratulated Del. Don Scott Jr., D-Portsmouth, on his election as the first African American to serve as speaker of the House of Delegates. At right is Sen. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, president pro tempore of the state Senate and chair of the Finance and Appropriations Committee.

The governor had proposed a package of tax cuts and increases for a net …

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