Fiscally Responsible Budgeting

Government spending is out of control in America. Fortunately, we have a balanced budget requirement in our Constitution in Virginia that makes us live within our means. But even in Virginia, government spending has grow far too fast and strained our ability to meet core obligations. Think about it. In 1997 when then Governor George Allen left office, the Virginia biennial budget was $37 billion. Today, that figure has grown to nearly $74 billion-a 100% increase.

How did we get in this mess? By embracing wildly optimistic surplus projections while increasing spending a whopping 100% (with inflation at 2% per year). We need to spend rationally on education, roads, and public safety. There is sufficient money in Richmond to do all of these and more. But the last thing we should do is ask people for more money when they are already paying almost 40% of their total income in federal, state, and local taxes and fees.

That’s why I continue to fight tax increases. Those who seek higher taxes often say they simply want to “invest in Virginia.” Most voters know what that means – more taxes to pay for political “pork,” while your personal “investments” go down the drain. I will:

• Fight higher taxes
• Fight to slow the spending spree in Richmond. You are paying enough now.
• Support measures to hold our Government accountable to the tax-paying citizens. This is a must if we are going to reform government.

I will fight to keep our taxes low through a taxation policy that is based on performance-based budgeting abd aggressive audits of programs in Richmond, bills I patroned and I co-patroned.