By Del. Eric Phillips
Greetings from Richmond,
How about this unusual weather for our district? Two major snow storms back to back and we have not even had time to shovel that ice from last weekend. Looks like we are trending toward slightly warmer temperature this week so hoping we can see some of this snow melt away for easier travel and getting back to our daily activities. Stay warm and safe!
I would like to highlight of few on my bills that directly impact our district:
• HB1050 was brought to me by Chatham Town Council to update parts of its Charter. It unanimously passed Counties, Cities and Towns Subcommittee and is heating to full committee and hope to the House floor this coming week.
• HB1053 reinstates the program that previously expired on July 1, 2025, allowing a locality to use grant funds awarded by the Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission as matching funds for GO Virginia grants. This bill also passed unanimously in Appropriations Committee and will be on the floor this week.
• HB1058 would have allowed IDA and EDA in the 48th and 49th House Districts to exercise their powers with respect to facilities used primarily for single or multifamily residences in order to promote safe and affordable housing. The committee offered positive feedback but continued it to 2027; however, Delegate Carr as virtually the same bill for the entire Commonwealth so I was able to sign onto hers as a co-patron. Housing and affordable housing is very important to our district so hopefully we will be successful with this bill.
Let’s compare these two images and tell me how you define affordability. I think we can all agreed that HB978 is not what affordability looks like by hitting us on a monthly basis with increased taxes on everyday goods and services. This is just one bill of many that has been introduced this session.
Republicans are putting forward legislation that would offer sensible tax credits. I am the patron of HB1051 which would offer a real property tax credit for qualifying individuals. It is my hope that this bill will make it through committee this week.
