The House budget proposal will eliminate $10.2 million in fee increases proposed by Governor Terry McAuliffe, House leaders announced Wednesday. The House Appropriations Committee will unveil the House proposal on Sunday, February 8 at 2 p.m. The House budget will eliminate the restaurant inspection fee, the Department of Agriculture’s tiered-fee structure, the weights and measures fee and the tobacco stamps fee. The House proposal will also eliminate the Governor’s proposed increase in the underground waste storage cleanup deductible. Delegate T. Scott Garrett (R-Lynchburg) announced the news in a speech on the floor of the House of Delegates.
"Eliminating these fees will protect our taxpayers and that's what we're sent here to do," said Delegate T. Scott Garrett (R-Lynchburg). "Make no mistake, these fees hurt Virginians."
“The House Appropriations Committee always seeks to produce a conservative, responsible budget proposal that invests in the core functions of government, guards against wasteful spending and protects the wallets of taxpayers,” said Chairman S. Chris Jones (R-Suffolk). “Our budget recommendations will eliminate the onerous fees that negatively impact our small businesses, especially those in the tourism industry.”
Virginia House of Delegates Speaker William J. Howell said, “Chairman Jones, Vice-Chairman Landes and the House Appropriations Committee are taking the right step to eliminate these onerous fees proposed by Governor McAuliffe. The Governor’s proposed fee increases directly impact our citizens, taking money out of their pockets during tough economic times. The House of Delegates is once again demonstrating that the right way to govern is to set priorities and make tough decisions.”
The House budget will eliminate the restaurant inspection fee increase ($6.8 million), the weights and measures fee increase ($0.5 million), the Department of Agriculture’s tiered fee schedule ($0.4 million), the Tax Department’s tobacco stamps fee ($0.2 million) and the increase in the underground waste storage cleanup deductible ($2.3 million).