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IN THE NEWS:
During the pandemic, convenience store owners and truck stop owners benefited financially from having games similar to slot machines in their businesses. Now lawmakers are considering a bill that would bring them back permanently.

Senator Danica Roem, a former journalist, knows that local governments often use exorbitant fees to restrict access to public documents. That's why she has a bill aimed at fixing the problem. Her bill would require local governments to offer eight free hours of researching FOIA requests -- billable hours that they can currently charge for.

When Democrats were in control of the House, Senate and governor's office they failed to create a system to license people to sell marijuana. Then when Republicans took control of the House of Delegates, and further derailed the effort. Now Senator Adam Ebbin of Alexandria has a bill that will create a system of people to have licenses to sell marijuana--but the Governor insists he's not interested in partaking.



TRIVIA: Which Virginian was Governor of the free state of Franklin and Tennessee?

At the Watercooler:
- The decision by a Richmond judge to release the report of last year's graduation shooting--and what the report shows.
- Some classing hazing in the General Assembly for the new cohort of legislators.

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This week, Michael is joined by Senator Schuyler VanValkenburg, Delegate Joshua Cole, and Delegate Adele McClure to break down some of their proposed bills to address Virginia's ongoing housing crises: rising rents, increased homelessness, and Virginians getting priced out of home-buying across the state.

These bills include Delegate McClure's bill to allow single-staircase buildings--lowering staircase requirements to make development easier, Delegate Cole's bill on Faith in Housing--making it easier for faith-based organizations to build affordable housing on their property, and Senator VanValkenburg's bill to allowing housing in commercial zoning, encouraging mixed-use zoning. And, of course, the hot topic of localities eliminating single-unit zoning.

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IN THE NEWS:
Delegate Don Scott has become the new Speaker of the House--the first Black Speaker in Virginia's history. And his election came alongside several new Committee Chairs that could mean big changes in the balance of power in Richmond.

House Majority Leader Charniele Herring has introduced a constitutional amendment to change the restoration of voting rights for people convicted of felonies--making it automatic, rather than dependent on the Governor's will. And it seems there's some bipartisan energy behind the effort.

Governor Youngkin says he wants to get rid of the car tax--but he didn't put it in his legacy budget proposal. It doesn't seem likely to happen, but the issue may serve as a rhetorical win in upcoming elections .


TRIVIA: When the official portrait of Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax is added to the Senate Chamber, whose portrait will be removed?

At the Watercooler:
- Activate Virginia is making a FOIA request to learn more about the high school graduation shooting in Richmond. For some reason, the state is fighting it.
- GA Staffers say the emails they're receiving about the Arena deal are overwhelmingly negative.

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Everyone's favorite General Assembly game show is back as Michael sits down with Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, Delegate Alfonso Lopez, Delegate Marcus Simon, and Alexandria Assistant City Manager Sarah Taylor to get their takes Governor Youngkin's State of the Commonwealth Address, proposed taxes and tax cuts, the Potomac Yard arena deal, and the new General Assembly building.

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LINKS:
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IN THE NEWS:
Democrats, who are about to control the General Assembly have a variety of viewpoints on Governor Glenn Youngkin's proposal to create a new tax on "digital personal property" -- especially considering the governor wants to pair it with a huge income tax cut that will disproportionately benefit the wealthiest Virginians.

During the pandemic, the federal government provided millions of dollars to help families with childcare. Now that money is about to expire, and low-income parents across Virginia are trying to figure out what happens next. Governor Youngkin says the General Assembly need to step in and bridge the gap. That's why he's proposing more than $400 million to make sure low-income families are able to keep access to childcare. He also wants to invest $25 million to build capacity in childcare deserts.

If the General Assembly creates a new authority that would own a proposed sports arena in Alexandria, the land in Potomac Yard where the arena would be built would be taken off the tax rolls. Thats’ a huge tax break for sports franchises that stand to make a lot of money on the deal--but one Pod Virginia guest says the deal isn't nearly as good for the Virginia taxpayer.


TRIVIA: Which two Democrats are now seated on the other side of the aisle?

At the Watercooler:
- Ex-Capitol police officer Harry Dunn announces a run for Maryland's 3rd District
- Pod Virginia launches its officia Discord for listeners who want to support the show

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Good Jobs First

This week, Michael is joined by Greg LeRoy, author of The Great American Jobs Scam: Corporate Tax Dodging and the Myth of Job Creation to break down the proposal to build a $2 billion sports arena in Alexandria. The proposal claims 30,000 jobs will be created in return for Virginia taxpayers footing the initial cost--but LeRoy says "economic development" projects don't create lasting jobs and tend to shuffle around existing money. They break down the mechanics of the deal, the costs and benefits, and how state subsidies for the arena might not be worth it after all.

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IN THE NEWS:
Governor Youngkin's legacy budget proposal is out, and to kick off the year, Michael and Lauren break down some of the biggest takeaways.

Youngkin is proposing cutting the top income tax bracket from 5.75% to 5.1%, giving a huge tax cut to the wealthiest Virginians -- especially the top one percent.

He's also proposing a "tech tax" capturing a sales tax on a new category of "digital personal property" -- including your download of Microsoft Word or your subscription to Spotify.

What the budget proposal does NOT include: any tricks to defund abortion. Advocates for reproductive freedom say they're pleased, but some are are worried the proposal removes funding for services to low-income Virginians who receive dangerous fetal diagnoses.


TRIVIA: Which Virginia Congressman did President Wilson appoint as Secretary of the Treasury?

At the Watercooler:
- Despite violent crime sitting at an all-time low--but some Republican ads from the last cycle contained racialized anti-crime messages straight out of the Willie Horton era, especially targeting Black candidates.
- Some political "odd-couples" in the new General Assembly--some combinations of committee chairs that might make for an interesting legislative session.

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LINKS:
Sponsor: Early Impact Virginia
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This week, Michael, Thomas, and Lauren sit around the fireplace and talk about 2023 in Virginia politics--from Chinese farmland in the State of the Commonwealth through upset primary victories in redistricted seats all the way to the Democrats winning the general election. In this two-parter, they go through the top 10 episodes of Pod Virginia from the year, reacting to the stories and predictions that aired with the benefit of some holiday-season hindsight.

Learn more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia

LINKS:
Sponsor: Early Impact Virginia
Learn more about Jackleg Media
Check out Black Virginia News

This week, Michael, Thomas, and Lauren sit around the fireplace and talk about 2023 in Virginia politics--from Chinese farmland in the State of the Commonwealth through upset primary victories in redistricted seats all the way to the Democrats winning the general election. In this two-parter, they go through the top 10 episodes of Pod Virginia from the year, reacting to the stories and predictions that aired with the benefit of some holiday-season hindsight.

Learn more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia

LINKS:
Sponsor: Early Impact Virginia
Learn more about Jackleg Media

This week, Michael is joined by Steve Babson, a labor educator and author of Forgotten Populists: When Farmers Turned Left to Save Democracy. The book explores a forgotten chapter of history--the 1890s, before the era of Jim Crowe, when Black and white farmers allied under the mantle of "populists"--fighting to expand democracy and resist the robber barons of the era.