Delegate Eric Zehr for Virginia: Session Interim Update

The new General Assembly Building saw its first use this Session. Yet, if architects and engineers designed the stairwells, hallways, and elevator shafts, it was the newly minoritized Republicans who first discovered its trenches—political though they may be. If that reference can be humored a bit further, they also discovered there is ground to be won, if underground.  Despite being in the minority, my own office gained precious political earth in the direction of freedom, by getting two bills to the governors' desk.   HB 1217 is a bill that makes a widely beneficial acupuncture procedure, previously limited to a few, available to all and HB 1278 increases the speed with which law enforcement can come to the aid of missing persons. Before HB1278 red tape ate up time that will now be used in finding those in peril.  Republican as well as Democrat votes were required to move these bills along. Credit, where credit is due  In keeping with that uneasy cooperation, now in the interim, Governor Youngkin is looking for alternatives to vetoing the entire proposed Budget. That action is still on the gubernatorial table.  In his recent "Road Show", Gov. Younkin has met with many business owners and voters to discuss the practical effects of the proposed Budget. We will keep it short here but a prime example, no Amazon pun intended, is the proposed E-commerce tax that would raise taxes for Virginian's by 2 billion ostensibly to level the playing field in the competition between the likes of Bezos and local businesses by increasing taxes on internet sales. If the immediate result of said tax is passed on to residents who are already being forced away from local businesses for cheaper alternatives, then congrats Democrats for another high-minded attempt at logic that doesn't stick the landing on our disappearing main streets. My general policy is less government intervention = a freer and more competitive market that is proven to benefit people on both sides of the sales counter. With this in mind, I look forward to my own local road show as we visit small businesses, farms and organizations to meet the hard-working local folks who drive our community economies.