Should the minimum wage be increased?

Virginia follows the federal minimum wage, which is currently set at $7.25 per hour. At this rate, a Virginian working full-time will make only $15,080 each year before taxes. Virginia is one of only a handful of other states that have opted not to increase its minimum wage beyond the federally mandated minimum. 67% of Americans believe the minimum wage should be increased to $15/hour, but the issue continues to remain deeply partisan in the Commonwealth. 


View from the Right:


Republicans believe that it’d be great for everyone to make more money, but don’t believe that the economy will be able to sustain a minimum wage increase. They believe that forcing businesses to raise their minimum wage, especially to a proposed $15, would be unsustainable and put many small businesses out of business. Particularly in Virginia, where we have rural counties with a much lower cost of living, $7.25 can, in many cases, create a living wage. Additionally, they are concerned that businesses that were once attracted to the low cost of doing business in Virginia may rethink their choices if employee costs go up. 


View from the Left:


Democrats believe that Virginia’s minimum wage was set more than a decade ago and no longer reflects the needs of society. Since the minimum wage was set, prices have skyrocketed, new and expensive technologies are becoming a part of everyday life, and we are leaving minimum-wage workers behind. They believe that an individual, especially those providing for a family, simply cannot survive on $15,080 a year. Additionally, they point out that it’s very likely that many minimum-wage workers are receiving social benefits from the state to make up for unlivable wages, which means the state is essentially subsidizing companies who refuse to pay their employees a living wage. Accordingly, companies like Walmart and Target have preemptively raised their employees’ wages and as a result, more money has been spent in those stores. 


View from the General Assembly:

During the 2019 Session, the General Assembly dodged any efforts to increase the minimum wage because of the partisan divide on the issue. There was, however, a smattering of different minimum wage bills presented with different solutions.


With the new Democratic majority, the minimum wage will certainly be at the forefront of the 2020 General Assembly session. A majority of Americans - and Virginians - support these efforts to create a more sustainable workforce that can afford to feed their families and participate in the economy in a valuable way. Some form of an increase will likely make its way through the legislature, but the question remains which iteration the reform will take. 



At VaOurWay, we believe that “[e]very Virginian should be afforded the same access to the opportunity to reach their full potential so that they can become contributing members of the community.” In practice, that means that when a Virginian works full-time for a whole year, they should be able to support their family with their wages and live with dignity. Furthermore, we recognize that workers paid a respective wage are less likely to need government assistance and more likely to provide resources for the existing economy. A livable wage guarantees more self-sufficient workers and a healthier Virginia. 


[Virginia Public Media] New Virginia Law Will Expand Zoning for Manufactured Homes

By VOW Ops • April 23, 2026
Manufactured homes are constructed in a factory and then transported to a land plot instead of traditional homes which are built on site. Despite the cost-savings constructors and prospective homeowners earn from manufactured homes, outdated stigma prevents them from being located anywhere other than agricultural zones. As part of her Affordability Agenda, Governor Spanberger has signed legislation which will expand where manufactured homes can be located. Under HB 655 and SB 346, starting July 1st Manufactured homes can now be located within any residential zone intended for traditional homes (with exceptions for historic districts). Further, localities will not be permitted to place different rules or any additional restrictions on manufactured homes that would not be imposed on single-family homes. Both bills passed the General Assembly with near-unanimous support. Executive Director of the Virginia Manufactured and Modular Housing Association Randy Grumbine says the new laws “could be very significant” in removing barriers that have been in place for decades. In 2020, a single-section manufactured home cost 35% the price of a similar-sized traditional home. Virginians have been facing affordability challenges when looking for housing – especially over the last several years – and they continue to experience a housing shortage which only exacerbates the problem. Del. Maldonado and Sen. VanValkenburg have noted that the strong bipartisan support they received for their respective bills is because Virginia’s housing crisis affects everyone regardless of partisan affiliation. Beyond the expansion of locations for manufactured homes, Governor Spanberger also signed HB 1227, which increases the amount of state funding toward affordable housing. She also signed HB 4, which gives localities the authority to require property owners to give the local government or developer the first chance to purchase property to build affordable housing. You can read the full article here for more details.

[Virginia Mercury] Virginia Lawmakers Recess Special Session Without Budget Deal

By VOW Ops • April 23, 2026
[Virginia Mercury] Virginia Lawmakers Recess Special Session Without Budget Deal

[Virginia Mercury] Data Center Bills Dominated This Year’s General Assembly. Here’s What Happened

By VOW Ops • March 19, 2026
Virginia’s growing data center economy was the center of attention for this year’s General Assembly session, with lawmakers balancing the industry’s benefits against its costs to communities. Of the many bills that were proposed to regulate data centers, some passed both the House and Senate and now head to Governor Spanberger’s desk for either her signature or veto. SB 253 (Sen. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth) would extend a program Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power Company offer low-income customers to reduce their monthly energy bills by weatherproofing their houses. The bill also gives the State Corporation Commission (SCC) the liberty to determine if more of the cost of generating electricity for data centers should fall onto them and large manufacturers instead of homeowners. SB 553 (Sen. Srinivasan, D-Loudoun) would direct water utilities to provide monthly or quarterly reports on how much water they are providing to data centers. Currently, data centers can withhold their water usage as an industry secret. SB 94 (Sen. Roem, D-Manassas) and HB 153 (Del. Thomas, D-Prince William) would require applicants who request localities to rezone for “high-load users” to submit site assessment reports. Localities would then be able to use the information from said reports to determine if the application conforms with their zoning requirements. HB 507 (Del. McAuliff, D-Loudoun) would mandate the Department of Environmental Quality to deny air permits for data center generators after July 2026 unless they meet stricter environmental regulations. Currently, data centers are allowed limited use of backup generators that run on diesel fuel, which have resulted in next-door neighbors complaining of noxious fumes spilling into their communities. HB 323 (Del. Sullivan, D-Fairfax) directs the Department of Energy to study how to best utilize waste heat generated by data centers to meet heating demands from neighboring buildings. One of the most robust debates involving data centers revolved around the sales tax exemption given to them on their server equipment and software. The Senate budget bill would end the exemption, hoping to recover the $1.6 billion they argue the state loses annually as a result. The House budget bill would keep the exemption but stipulate additional requirements for data centers to remain in compliance with receiving the exemption. The data center industry has rebutted the proposals to end the tax exemption, arguing that it has brought billions of dollars in investment into Virginia. Furthermore, the issue does not fall along clear, partisan lines, with both Democrats and Republicans arguing for against ending the exemption. The issue has ultimately ground Virginia’s budget approval process to a halt, with neither chamber coming to a consensus on the state’s biennial budget. Governor Spanberger has called for a special session beginning April 23rd so that the General Assembly can resolve the dispute. You can read the full article here for more details.
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