Gov. Ralph Northam Proposes Budget Plan to Help Virginians Navigate Final Months of Pandemic and Rebuild the Commonwealth’s Economy

Budget includes $240 million for pandemic response, including $90

million for vaccines

This morning, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam unveiled his budget plan to help Virginians navigate the rest of the pandemic, recover and rebuild the economy, and keep the state moving forward. Gov. Northam’s strong leadership during the pandemic and this historic budget plan reflect the values of Virginians. 

The two-year plan includes $90 million to work to vaccinate all 8 million Virginians, $500 million for public education, $25 million for housing affordability solutions, $36 million for job training, $25 million in historic justice initiatives, and more. Gov. Northam’s budget also invests $650 million into revenue reserves, a record reserve for Virginia to guard against uncertain times.

While Gov. Northam pointed out that much of the money for the pandemic response and vaccinations should have come from the federal government, Gov. Northam said “we’ve all learned not to wait.” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has been stalling talks, even as there have been bipartisan calls for federal relief.

As Democratic governors have done through this crisis, Gov. Northam is stepping up to fill the void left by the federal government. Recent polling shows the majority of Virginians approve of Gov. Northam’s job performance.

“Gov. Ralph Northam’s budget will provide what’s needed for Virginians to navigate the rest of the pandemic, and to lead the commonwealth towards a strong economic recovery,” said DGA Deputy Communications Director Christina Amestoy. “While Mitch McConnell continues to hold up aid for Americans, Democratic governors like Gov. Northam are stepping up once again to ensure their constituents have what’s needed to get through the remaining months of the pandemic.”