Do Your Part- take Action on the Budget

All committee work is complete for this session so we turn all of our attention to the budget. There is no time to waste. Make your voice heard and take action on the VEA requests for the budget amendments and the VEA has an email action alert that makes it easy. Click here to send an email to all 14 budget conferees.

The VEA is asking for the following to be included in the final budget:

1. $87.6 million to increase state support for salaries to a total of 5%. There must be funding for a full year, not for half a year as proposed in the House budget.
2. $35.9 million to increase the number of school counselors funded by the state. This change would structurally change the funding formulas for school counselors and send more state dollars to every locality in Virginia.
3. $35.6 million to increase the At-Risk Add On funding that is directed to those students most in need and to school divisions with high concentrations of poverty.

If you are ready to call the conferees  please ask for exactly what we list above. Here are there numbers in Richmond:

Senate Budget Conferees
· Thomas K. Norment, Jr. (804) 698-7503
·  Emmett W. Hanger, Jr.,  (804) 698-7524
·  Janet D. Howell  (804) 698-7532
·  Dick L. Saslaw  (804) 698-7535
·  Steve D. Newman  (804) 698-7523
·  Frank M. Ruff, Jr.  (804) 698-7515
·  Frank W. Wagner  (804) 698-7507

House Budget Conferees
· Chris Jones (804) 698- 1076
· Steve Landes (804) 698-1025
· Chris Peace (804) 698-1097
· Barry D. Knight (804) 698-1081
· Scott Garrett  (804) 698-1023
· Luke E. Torian (804) 698-1052

· Mark D.Sickles (804) 698-1043