Childcare tax relief
I support a substantial state tax deduction or credit for childcare expenses. If savings elsewhere in the budget make limited subsidies practical, I am open to that too.
Having children shouldn't feel like a financial penalty.
I don't think the state should raise anybody's child. I do think Virginia can stop making family life unnecessarily expensive and can structure taxes and education policy so parents have more room to choose what works for their family.
Childcare, in real dollars
Full-day care for one child ranged from $6,552 to $15,600 a year in 2022.
The U.S. Department of Labor's National Database of Childcare Prices found that full-day care for one child represented 8.9% to 16.0% of median family income nationwide in 2022. Childcare markets are local, so this national range is context, not a claim about every family in District 66.
$6,552$15,600
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Women's Bureau, National Database of Childcare Prices.
Don't penalize staying home
A family that gives up one income so a parent can stay home should not receive less help than a family paying a daycare. I favor an equivalent family credit tied to the average or recognized cost of childcare.
Birth costs matter too
Pregnancy and birth expenses are part of the same affordability problem. I want to look at tax relief that reduces the out-of-pocket hit when a family has a child.
The goal
One income should be a real option again.
My wife and I both work. I know staying home with children is not realistic or desirable for every family. It should still be financially possible for families who want it.
I want policy to make room for a working-parent household, a stay-at-home parent, paid childcare, homeschooling, public school, or another arrangement instead of assuming government knows which one is best.
Education
Parents are not a side stakeholder.
Funding follows the student
I support school choice and public education funding following the student. Schools receiving public money can reasonably be held to basic academic and financial standards.
Less testing for testing's sake
I would reduce Virginia's SOL-style testing as far as federal law allows and move away from a system where too much classroom time is shaped by standardized tests.
Federal context: the U.S. Department of Education explains that ESSA requires state assessment in reading, math, and science while giving states flexibility in how they assess students.
Homeschool freedom
Homeschool families should face a small set of basic educational requirements and otherwise be left room to teach in the way they think works best for their children.
Teachers over administration
I want more education money reaching teachers and classrooms and less disappearing into unnecessary administrative layers.
Practical money skills
Personal finance should be a serious, required part of school. Students should understand credit, interest, taxes, loans, budgeting, insurance, and investing before they are expected to navigate them alone.
Parental authority
A school's authority over a child comes from parents and the public. Parents should know what their child is being taught and should be notified about significant matters involving their child.
Leave policy
Encourage paid family leave without pretending every employer is the same.
Paid parental leave matters. My preference is to let employers and workers work out the details rather than impose one statewide mandate. Virginia can still encourage better leave through tax incentives or by redirecting money from less useful programs when the numbers make sense.
The legal benefits should apply equally.
If two consenting adults are legally married, family benefits should not change based on their sex or race. I personally value marriage and think policy can recognize the stability of a formal commitment without asking government to define religious marriage.
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