Abjectly opposed to ANY new taxes for ANY reason. We have an overabundance of money in this state as it is and are taxed enough.

This bill to revise the tax code is long overdue. There is large public support for progressive taxation. While the state has a budget surplus, it has come at the neglect of our public schools, support of working families everywhere with child care, and affordable housing. The bulk of mainstream academic research finds that interstate differences in taxes, including differences in top personal income tax rates, have minimal effects on state economic growth. Nor will the wealthy run away from VA. State taxes on the wealthy have minimal impact on their decision to move out of state. Most wealthy individuals are anchored by family, business interests, and social networks.

As a Virginia resident and voter, I am writing to let you know that I strongly oppose HB243, HB 978, HB188, and HB 979. Virginians are already burdened with high taxes and high cost of living. These bills will only further punish those paying taxes in this state and will likely drive taxpayers, including those with very high incomes, to other states with lower tax burdens. Please reconsider. The prior administration left the state with a surplus. Increased taxes should not be needed to meet the needs of the state.

I support HB188, or the millionaire's tax. Fairfax County Public Schools is facing over a $100 million budget deficit for next year, and the proposed allocation reduces the strain on the General Fund without requiring a regressive sales tax. Currently, the tax would impact less than 0.5% of Virginians and is expected to raise over $1 billion annually. A similar "Fair Share" amendment in Massachusetts from 2022 raised $5.7 billion, doubling forecasts and contributing 5% of the state budget. Furthermore, the number of millionaires in MA since then increased by 30%, dispelling concerns of a rich exodus. I believe this bill will significantly raise Virginians' quality of life without raising the cost of living.

States with high taxes are losing population and wealth. Ny,nj,il,ca.md Losing Nc, tn,fl,sc winning Virginia is neutral.

I oppose HB188. Virginians are already under significant financial pressure as the cost of housing, food, fuel, insurance, and other necessities continues to rise while wages fail to keep pace with inflation. The declining purchasing power of the U.S. dollar has further strained household budgets, particularly in Northern Virginia, where residents have faced additional regional and local tax increases in recent years. Creating a new state income tax bracket only adds to this growing sense of tax fatigue.HB188 also raises serious concerns about Virginia’s economic competitiveness. High-income earners often include small business owners, entrepreneurs, and investors who drive job creation and long-term economic growth. Increasing the top marginal tax rate risks discouraging future investment and incentivizing businesses and skilled professionals to relocate to lower-tax states, weakening Virginia’s tax base over time rather than strengthening it. Virginia has historically benefited from a reputation as a stable, business-friendly Commonwealth with predictable tax policy. HB188 moves the state toward policies seen in jurisdictions that struggle with out-migration and reduced investment. Rather than raising taxes during a period of economic uncertainty, the General Assembly should focus on affordability, responsible budgeting, and policies that allow Virginians to keep more of their hard-earned income.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on HB175. Imagine two service members, both mortally injured in the same line-of-duty incident. What is the difference between the first service member, who lingers 15 days in the hospital before dying, and the second one, who lingers 15 months before also succumbing? The first will be categorized as "active duty deceased" while the second will be categorized as a "100% disabled veteran." Can anyone explain why full tax relief for the first surviving spouse is to be decided by the locality (via local ordinance) while full tax relief for the second surviving spouse is guaranteed by the Commonwealth? To make this inequity clearer, imagine the second service member recovers from the incident, is medically retired from active duty, receives their 100% veteran disability rating, and later dies as a result of their own gross negligence unrelated to their service-connected injuries. The veteran's spouse will still qualify for full tax relief. The first service member’s surviving spouse, however, remains subject to the whims of local government for full tax relief, not to mention the line-of-duty designation required to receive any tax relief. This difference in treatment is not a constitutional variance; it was created by the General Assembly with good intention, yet with insufficient consideration. If you’re going to continue offering tax relief to surviving spouses, please treat service members' survivors the same as disabled veterans' survivors and simply provide the same tax relief calculations for both. I respectfully request a re-write of this bill to make it so. Thank you for your civic service and thoughtful consideration of this request.

When Maryland raised taxes on millionaires in 2007, many moved out of state, resulting in Maryland raising less revenue as a result, according to the Tax Foundation: "The Comptroller of Maryland has reported that the number of 'millionaire' returns tumbled sharply between 2007 and 2008, a 30% drop in filers and 22% drop in declared income. Rather than income taxes from this group rising by $106 million, they fell by $257 million….One-in-eight millionaires who filed a Maryland tax return in 2007 filed no return in 2008….A Bank of America Merrill Lynch analysis of federal tax return data on people who migrated from one state to another found that Maryland lost $1 billion of its net tax base in 2008 by residents moving to other states." Some rich people can move across the border to neighboring states where there is no state income tax, like Tennessee, or where tax rates are lower, like North Carolina (3.99%), Kentucky (3.5%), and West Virginia (4.82%). If they are retirees, they can move to Florida, which has no state income tax.