In the last election, Democrats again campaigned as moderates, including Abigail Spanberger. Once in control of the Governor’s mansion and the legislature, however, Virginia Democrats have moved quickly to fulfill the worst stereotype of a tax-hungry, economy-crushing party. The Democrats introduced an array of new taxes on every aspect of life. At the same time, Spanberger moved to take control of Virginia universities and colleges after years of trying to move those schools to the center. Now, members are pushing rent control legislation and defining landlords as “gougers” if they raise rents by as little as 3%.
The tax frenzy immediately began after the Democrats took control.
Spanberger has also announced that the state will rejoin the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a regional cap-and-trade program that imposes a de facto carbon tax.
Virginia Democrats appear to be replicating California’s disastrous tax policies that have chased high earners and companies from the state. Here are a few of the new taxes being pushed:
HB 378 – Imposes a 3.8% net investment income tax on individuals, trusts, and estates beginning in taxable year 2027. This would raise the state’s top marginal income tax rate on portfolio and passive income to 9.55% in addition to federal taxes.
HB 900 – Imposes sales tax hikes on transportation districts as well as a new tax on every retail delivery in Northern Virginia (Amazon, Uber Eats, FedEx, UPS, etc.). This appears modeled on a Minnesota law.
HB 919 – Imposes a firearm and ammunition tax equal to 11% percent of the gross receipts from the retail sale of any firearm or ammunition by a dealer in firearms, firearms manufacturer, or ammunition vendor.
HB 978 – Extends the retail sales and use tax to dry cleaning, landscaping, and other previously exempt services.
Now, the Democrats are pushing rent control legislation despite a long history of failure in such programs to discourage new construction and property improvements. At the same time, it has been shown actually to increase rents overall.
Democrats have introduced two bills under the guise of fighting “rent gouging.” However, they define gouging as rent increases of just over 3%. That does not cover inflation in past years. Under these laws, restrictions could kick in for increases even below 3%.
HB278 and SB355 green light local “rent-gouging” ordinances to mandate that a landlord “cannot increase the rent by more than the locality’s calculated allowance, not to exceed three percent.” Rent levels could be restricted even further under such an ordinance, because the permitted increase must be “no more than three percent,” but could be restricted to less than three percent (such as one percent). 28 members of the House of Delegates are sponsors of HB278, all of them progressive Democrats.
In my forthcoming book, Rage and the Republic: The Unfinished Story of the American Revolution, I discuss the challenges for the American Republic in the 21st Century. That includes a predicted move by the left to introduce guaranteed incomes and rent controls. That appears to be unfolding sooner than anticipated.
In New York, Zohran Mamdani is seeking rent freezes and enhanced rent controls. He has surrounded himself with radicals who have called for the elimination or sharp curtailment of private property. The most noteworthy is Cea Weaver who has called for the elimination of private property.
The American left has cited South Africa and Cuba as models for the United States despite their economic meltdowns.
As they seek to impose an array of new taxes and regulations, Democrats are also pushing a bill that would make it more difficult to find federal fraud by nonprofits. As billions have been lost to fraud in other states, the Democrats want to make it harder for the federal government to investigation such fraud in Virginia.
Virginia Democrats are taking a prosperous and moderate state into the same failed direction as states like California. The desire to spend “someone else’s money” is irresistible when you want to increase spending. For many wealthy families, West Virginia or Florida are likely looking more and more appealing.
What matters is what the voters want.
Are you suggesting that the voters shouldn’t be allowed to vote
because they shouldn’t want what they want?
You get what you vote for. There may be some moderate dems left in the body politic, but they don’t run for public office. The big money donors support the far left and that’s who gets the support to run for office. Dem politicians don’t have a conscience. They will lie and present themselves as moderates to achieve office. Once in, the facade falls until the next election. Those dems who supported this will get punished just like everyone else.
It’s pretty clear that the Dept of Education has effectively indoctrinated the majority of the population under the age of 40. This ship is sinking, city by city and state by state. Put on your life jacket and enjoy the time you have left.
Professor Turley writes, “That includes a predicted move by the left to introduce guaranteed incomes and rent controls.”
True, but our professor left out a big one: capital controls. Blue states are already trying backdoor capital controls in the guise of exit taxes. This is legalized hostage taking: “You try to leave with your assets, and we’ll soak you with taxes for the rest of your life.”
The Left’s punitive gestures have backfired so far. Conservative votes, once sequestered in ice-blue states, have escaped to red-pill Florida, Pennsylvania, and other states. Fetterman’s tiptoeing to the right is probably his calculation that NYC will find new ways to destroy itself. The Biden Administration deceitfully flooded the Country with illegals to reverse this backlash, but that got Trump elected. The Left has a growing dilemma here.
Can state exit taxes solve the Democrats’ “leftugee” problem? The federal government already has exit taxes, but state exit taxes are INTENDED to interfere with interstate commerce BIGLY, so I don’t know how the courts will land on this one. What I do believe is that if state exit taxes are upheld, it will transform blue-state America into a new Iron Curtain.
Capital controls. Sue pal. Anything else this morning you want to report?
Yes- ANON is full of Schiff!!
“… it will transform blue-state America into a new Iron Curtain. ”
Greenland is calling!
The list of bills in VA, if implemented at the federal level would kick off massive violence. Maybe not CWII, but it could get very ugly.
On a paticular item: “Democrats are also pushing a bill that would make it more difficult to find federal fraud…”
If the federal government stopped allocating funds for ridiculous and unconstitutional policy then the theft of those funds would cease.
Obviously, the theft is the unspoken policy.
Entire subeconomies have been built in orbit around public money spewing forth like sunlight from a seemingly inexhaustible reaction powered by abusive, unaccountable taxation.
Those economies will not be dismantled without a fight and there will be economic consequences like unemployment, foreclosures, retail failures. So be it.
If we don’t clean this s*** up, the commies will clean us out, if they have not already done so…
Trump’s polls are in the toilet, he was a laughingstock at Davos, forced to surrender on Greenland, nobody wanted to join his Bored of Peace club, late-night comics are picking on him, Gavin is stalking him, Melania sleeps in a separate house, & nobody will give him real prizes.
Apart from that, nothing could be better.
Good to know. Now try and tell the truth.
A honey bee does not waste its time trying to convince a fly that honey tastes better than shite. Anon is a fly.
” Anon is a fly.” Couldn’t have said it better.
Really, how stupid can you be to criticize an anon being an anon yourself?
Answer: very stupid.
ANON gets the booby prize!
Rabble:
And what are the Dem numbers?
Spanberger ran and won as a moderate. She is one of the democrats who publicly said Democrats should NEVER mention socialism again.
Now VA democrats appear to be screwing up VA as badly as CA and NYC.
I feel sorry for Virginians. But they voted for this.
Regardless, Republicans should take the advice of Sun Tzu
Never interfere when your enemy is making a mistake.
It is possible that Democrats may manage to continue to hold VA – as sane Virginians join the ranks fleeing failed blue States.
Regardless, this nonsense does not work. We knew more than a century ago it did not work.
It has caused shortages and declines in the number and quality of rental properties everywhere it has been tried.
So Republicans shoudl stay out of the way and allow Democrats to screw over the very people they claim to be trying to help.
What good are low rents when you can not find a place to live or the only places you can find are $hitholes.
I think she has a longer term plan. I suspect she will veto half these bills and do the sista soulja thing to position herself as a 2028 Presidential candidate
oh, I’m not the same anonymous
Not an argument.
That’s not me.
Looking for a date this afternoon?
I ceased voting for Democrats in the 1970’s and anyone who is surprised by this turn of events is truly nuts. I have been following the the new legislation that has been initiated. And can only shake my head at the fools who voted for the Dems.
As far as the Republicans who voted for the Dems, what did they expect. Just because you specifically get hurt does not mean a program being discontinued is not the right thing to do. The cuts were obviously going to come and those that did not plan for that possibility have only themselves to blame.
That’s the risk you take when you work, private or government. Be aware. Neither owes you a living. Those that lost their jobs have to deal with the realities of life. I have family who have worked for the Feds and long ago I learned the pain of being RIF’d.
That’s all you geriatrics do is whine, whine, whine. Incoherently too…
Look at us kids here… we take our lead from our sista’s AOC and Jasmine Crockett! You should too!
JT, they will single you out and tax the hell out of you
Workaround option:
Sir John Templeton renounced his US citizenship, which some sources claim was a strategy to minimize taxes (the United States taxes citizens globally regardless of residency). However, in a 1997 interview with Charlie Rose, Templeton asserted the Bahamas had a higher tax rate than the United States and denied he renounced his citizenship to avoid paying taxes to the United States.
Uninterested in consumerism, Templeton lived relatively frugally and never flew first-class. A friend jokingly described Templeton as Calvinist in his approach to wealth: “He believes it’s okay to make money so long as you don’t enjoy it.”
VA was a purple state and could have gone either way in the recent governor’s election. But the Trump administration stupidly brought in the DOGE boys to eliminate tens of thousands of jobs held by Virginians. And every single one of those employees have relatives, friends and neighbors, creating a ripple effect of disdain and distrust of Republican politicians. So what did they expect? There’s a stereotype that all federal employees are Democrats. And the only people who believe this have never been federal employees. These are thousands of federal law enforcement, lawyers, accountants, and others who vote (or previously voted) Republican. The Trump administration lost a lot of Republican voters in VA, who will likely sit the mid-terms out. We won’t vote Democrat, but we’ll stay home. The same cuts made by DOGE in such a rash manner could have been implemented gradually without the gleefully cruel and destructive impact. So Virginians electing a Democratic Governor is simply karma.
Yes, it is Karma…for those who voted Spanberger in. She will give it to them good and hard.
Lessee now. Democrats who’ve lost their excessively paid, taxpayer-funded government jobs (yet will collect a decent taxpayer-funded pension) will now pay even higher taxes? Why is anyone – and in particular a Democrat – entitled to be funded by other people at all? Sounds like a win-win.
Watch as Mr X (George) comes one here and says that Turley is wrong, that these taxes and regulations are good and that states like CA, IL, NY and MA are “proof” that these ideas work. Well, unless you factor in that they are the 4 states with the most tax payers leaving.
I am so sick of Dems campaigning as a moderate only to go hard left as soon as they enter office. They act fast so that they can ensconce their radical policies in place early and then as the next election approaches they act like a moderate again and the dumb voters repeat their mistake. One thing that kills us conservatives is the lying media hiding, coddling, protecting the fake “moderate” during the race as they attack, attack attack the Republican. Snarling angry interviews with the Republican along with follow up questions vs smiling protective interviews with Dems along with ZERO follow ups. I am beginning to think that between the radical takeover of the schools along with the radical takeover of the media we can no longer prevail.
Watch as hullbobby comes here and says that X (George) is wrong …
Watch for more of Anon’s daily crap!
Nailed it!
Where’s hullbooby this morning, everyone is waiting to be insulted by him.
This and more will all be federalized, including punishment for even thinking the ‘wrong’ thing, if dems have power again – it’ll make 2020-25 seem like a nice dream.
The object lessons are all around, bright as neon. Stop supporting the DNC, and do not believe their campaign lies. There is no such thing as a ‘moderate’ modern democrat. The party’s takeover by authoritarian ideology is pretty much complete.
PS – anytime I see the literal children, as above or like the squad, in these positions of authority, I know two things: they were absolutely heavily involved in running Biden’s White House, and, there is *no* way they are at the top of the food chain. Our modern left is a regime, not a party, full stop.
Seems crazy, but this is what they voted for…anyone surprised the Dems immediately raised taxes, placed price controls on private property, and will now make it even more dangerous and difficult to remove child rapists from Virginia?
@Biz
I beg to differ: many believed the moderate lies, and many simply hate Trump THAT much. Then there are the brainwashed vote blue no matter who crowd who simply don’t pay attention to much of anything. The younger and radicalized in their ignorance genuinely think they WANT this.
Re moderate lies, perhaps, but you think they would have learned that when they put Biden in…Trump wasn’t running in Virginia, so if they wanted to send a message, ok, and now they can embrace the results of that choice.
Move to New Hampshire!
Never heard of it.
Somewhere near Greenland.
The Virginians of 1776 would have recognized this as a warning sign. Today’s citizens normalize it, justify it, and vote it back in. That is why history repeats.
In 1776 the aristocrats had absolute control of society. Read about it.
I didn’t just read about it, I wrote about it. Awakening a Forgotten Republic traces the actual historical record, not a caricature. The Revolution was a rejection of unaccountable power, not an endorsement of aristocratic rule.
Sure, sure buddy. And you wrote the Constitution too.
This exchange illustrates the problem. When someone never learns from original sources, sarcasm substitutes for argument. Awakening a Forgotten Republic is grounded in primary and secondary sources for anyone interested in engaging history rather than caricatures. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G67KM7JK
Sadly, GOP presence at the state level for Virginia is about as frequent as a solar eclipse for the state and now probably more like the return of a comet. The Blue Toilet Ring around DC is the dominant force and the former CIA bureaucrat, now Madam Governor, is a true believer in Nanny State politics and deception of the her peasant citizenry. Independent types are not welcome and, in fact, are seen as Insider Threats to be reigned in. The Karen’s in Arlington, Charlottesville, and Richmond will emerge like locust to ensure any conservative dissent is dealt with on behalf of Madam Governor. Good luck and think about renting a U-Haul!
Since the people who vote for these things can often leave the state after things deteriorate, are there limits to how states can regulate residency requirements for voting for new residents. Like you have to be a resident for x months?
Democrats = Higher taxes and more intrusive govt.
Voters everywhere – THINK before you vote.
Voters think, you say? Ha haha.
Question….Democrats want Cuba, Venezuelan styled fascism!
GOP does nothing to STOP THEM!
When there are just enough (or too many) FOOLish voters, the far left lefties are elected to offices like the VA guv or the NYC mayor. They bash “rich people” and damn the “big corporations” – but won’t move to Cuba or South Africa; they just do there damage right here in the USA.
Democrats want Cuba, Venezuelan styled fascism! Really, you got proof?
No GOP to stop them? What should they be doing to intervene?
That’s fitting, Trump wants Cuba and Venezuelan as well.
Maybe Congress makes’em the 51st & 52nd States and we move them all back to their hearts desire.
time for the Republicans to STOP rewarding Democrats for failure!
NY gets almost twice the Federal Aid per person as Florida. Florida has twice the retired people.
Stop funding every terrible Democrat function! NYC subway should receive ZERO Federal Money!
Same with Housing! You don’t have money…Move SOMEWHERE ELSE!
FORCE THEM TO FIX it with THEIR MONEY!
And how do you plan to change all that?
Congress has the purse. And not for long.