RICHMOND, Va.—This afternoon, Republican Delegates on the House Finance Committee rejected the House Democratic alternative to HB6001, Governor Youngkin’s ill-conceived gas tax holiday legislation. The substitute proposed by Delegate Vivian Watts and supported by Democrats on the committee would have provided rebates of $50 to owners of gas-powered personal vehicles eligible for state car-tax relief, up to $100 per household, as opposed to the bill as introduced which would provide relief to oil and gas companies and out-of-state drivers. The alternative offered by House Democrats would also preserve the critical Transportation Trust Fund, which has been underfunded for decades.
When asked on March 30th if Virginia consumers will benefit from his ill-conceived plan, Governor Youngkin said, “We can’t guarantee anything.”
Virginia House Democratic Leader Eileen Filler-Corn and Democratic Caucus Chair Charniele Herring released the following statement in response:
“Today, in spite of all the evidence and testimony presented to them, House Republicans on the Finance Committee decided to reject direct aid to Virginia drivers and refer the Governor’s flawed bill to the Appropriations Committee. Instead of expediting relief to Virginia consumers, they have chosen to take a chance on a plan that even the Governor himself has said does not guarantee savings for them. All while, Governor Youngkin continues to refuse to trigger Virginia’s anti-price gouging act, despite evidence that it can return money to consumers.
While we are disappointed, we are not shocked – we have repeatedly seen Governor Youngkin and House Republicans choose sound bites and ideology over policies that help working families. Whether it’s in the form of a veto, budget amendments, or a bill designed to fail, Governor Youngkin has demonstrated time and again that the economic security of the everyday citizen doesn’t matter nearly as much as his personal political profile. Rest assured, this conversation will continue as we strive to provide quick relief to Virginians.We will also continue to work with our partners in the Senate to fight for the refundable Earned Income Tax Credit and tax rebates included in their budget, which will provide direct relief to those families that need it most.”