Solid Mix From the 26th

There are several upcoming opportunities for families and entrepreneurs that I wanted to share with you. If you have questions about any of the events and activities listed below, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Back to School Sales Tax Holiday (August 2-4)

Today through Sunday, most school supplies and clothing will be exempt from sales tax for the eighth annual Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday! At a time when there are alot of expenses associated with sending kids back to school, this tax holiday helps to provide some savings for families.

School supplies costing $20 or less per item and clothing and footwear priced at $100 or less each will be exempt from Virginia’s 5.3% state and local sales tax. Anyone can benefit from the savings and there is no limit to the number of qualifying items that can be purchased. Retailers may also choose to pay the sales tax for customers on items that do not otherwise qualify.

To find out more details about what items qualify and to learn more about the holiday, please visit the Department of Taxation website by clicking here.

Valley Business Summit

On Monday, August 12 area legislators along with several local business and economic development organizations are joining together to host a Valley Business Summit event at the Robert Plecker Workforce Center at Blue Ridge Community College. This event is FREE to attend and open to anyone interesting in learning more about resources available for starting and growing a business. In addition to a keynote address from Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry, Todd Haymore, there will be several breakout sessions for participants to attend, along with a feedback forum at the conclusion of the event for state legislators (including myself) to hear your suggestions and concerns related to the business climate in the Commonwealth.

The Business Summit will begin with registration from 7:30 am to 8:00 am and is set to conclude around noon. Again, it’s free to attend, but an RSVP is requested by Monday, August 5. Please click here to learn more.

Applications Now Being Accepted for the House Page Program

Every year, a number of 13 and 14 year-olds from across the Commonwealth are chosen to serve in the House of Delegates page program during the General Assembly session. Pages are an integral part of the legislative process in Richmond, and serve in various capacities assisting the Clerk’s office, legislators, and other staff. During this time, they also gain a greater understanding of how their state government operates. All of the pages I have spoken with find it to be a great experience, not to mention that they make alot of new friends along the way!

Applications are being accepted now through October 28 for 13 and 14 year-olds (as of January 1, 2014) who would like to serve as a page during the 2014 General Assembly Session. This year, the application must be completed online, please click here to access the application and instructions. Along with the application and other required documentation, the applicant’s Delegate must submit a letter of recommendation to the Speaker’s office. If you live within the 26th House District and plan to apply, please contact my office at (540) 437-1450 or email [email protected].

It’s also worth noting that there is a Senate page program as well, although you cannot serve as both a House and Senate page. To learn more about the House and Senate page programs, please click here.

Help Needed at the GOP Fair Booth!

The Rockingham and Harrisonburg Republican Committees are looking for folks to help man the booth at the Rockingham County Fair the week of August 12 to 17. The time slots are broken down into two hour shifts, so even if you can only volunteer for a few hours it would still be a big help to the local committees and our Republican ticket! The booth is always a great way for our party to reach out to potential voters in our community. If you’re willing to volunteer, you can simply add your name to the sign up form.

Contact Me
As always, feel free to reach out to me with any questions or concerns you may have. My office can be reached by calling (540) 437-1450 or by emailing [email protected].