Jobs and the Economy

Maintaining a competitive tax structure and reasonable regulations is essential to a strong economy that supports job creation and market-driven wage growth.
Under prior one-party Democratic control, we saw a flood of new regulations that made it harder to start and grow a business—raising costs through added fees, legal hurdles, and government-mandated wages and benefits. We must not become a smaller version of California or New York, where businesses and families are leaving in droves. Fortunately, our current Governor has made regulatory reduction a top priority. Where executive authority allows, his administration has already eliminated 25% of unnecessary red tape.
I will continue to support policies that make it easier for Virginia families and small businesses to succeed.
One growing challenge for working families is access to affordable, quality childcare. Through bipartisan efforts, Virginia has made record state-level investments to meet this need. For the past two years, the Governor has also proposed innovative solutions to establish new childcare centers in underserved areas. Unfortunately, those proposals have yet to be included in the final budget, but I’m confident this will remain a bipartisan priority.
Employers and families also consistently cite housing availability and affordability as barriers to job growth. While I respect local control over zoning, I believe the state should do what it can to reduce housing costs. That includes reviewing building code requirements to identify those that drive up costs without providing clear health or safety benefits and guarding against future mandates that could further increase prices.
Over the years, my office has been proud to help citizens and small business owners navigate challenges with state bureaucracy. Sometimes, connecting them to the right agency staff is all it takes. In other cases, a legislative fix is necessary. A recent example: we successfully passed constituent-driven legislation allowing businesses that overpay one type of tax to apply the balance to a different tax liability without facing additional penalties. A simple, common-sense reform with real benefits.