-- Peace Bill conforms state law with the new federal tax policy --
Delegate Chris Peace representing the 97th District (part of Hanover, King William, and all of New Kent) filed a tax reform bill in the General Assembly to reduce income taxes for hard-working, taxpaying individuals and corporations. The Peace proposal also indexes the Standard Deduction for inflation, and conforms Virginia’s tax laws to the new Federal tax cuts and changes.
“Governor Northam’s refusal to propose any broad based and meaningful tax reforms in response to federal changes will cause many Virginians to pay more in taxes and lose significant amounts of federal tax cuts. In addition to approximately $6 billion in new spending programs, the Governor proposes to take tax money from middle-class taxpayers and give it to people who don’t pay income taxes at all. I cannot support this wealth redistribution scheme and I will work with my colleagues to stop it,” stated Peace.
Delegate Peace’s tax reform bill will:
Conform Virginia Tax law to the changes in Federal Tax law effective December 31, 2018 (Tax Conformity).
Double the Standard Deduction for individuals from $3,000 to $6,000 and for couples filing jointly from $6,000 to $12,000
Increase the Standard Deduction annually to match the increase in inflation
Reduce the Corporate tax rate from 6% to 5.5% in 2018 and to 5% in 2019
Require any excess revenue generated by Tax Conformity to be placed in a Tax Policy Fund to be used for tax relief beginning in 2020.
Additionally Delegate Peace said, “Governor Northam and many Democrat legislators see tax conformity as a way to fund a huge increase in government. New revenue generated through tax conformity should be returned to taxpayers and that is what my bill will do. Focusing tax relief through a higher standard deduction reaches the highest number of Virginians, most of them middle class families who have seen the standard deduction stalled for 30 years while itemized deductions for others soared. I will fight every attempt to raise taxes and create programs for redistribution of your hard-earned dollars. My proposal will likely be followed by other similar ideas about how to return tax money to the people, but this bill sets the standard for reform.”
With a voting record that clearly shows Peace as a friend to the taxpayer, Delegate Peace’s voting record includes his consistent opposition to tax increases, such as his vote against the single largest tax increase in Virginia history, patroning of legislation to eliminate the recordation tax and support for reform to the local and regressive BPOL tax. Peace has always worked to protect family values, defend the Constitution, and promote job creation and a high quality of life in Hanover, King William and New Kent counties. Delegate Peace has consistently received high legislative vote scores from the American Conservative Union, the Virginia Chamber of Commerce, the Virginia Citizen Defense League, and the National Federation of Independent Business.
Delegate Peace was first elected in 2006 and serves as Chairman of the General Laws Committee. He is a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee serving as one of the six House of Delegate budget negotiators. Delegate Peace has been a consistent advocate for taxpayers, families and small business. He along with his wife, Ashley, and their children, Camden and Henry, live in Old Church (Hanover).