Over at Old Dominion Watchdog, Paige Winfield Cunningham writes that voter confusion may have contributed to the noticeably narrow margin of victory for an amendment to the Virginia constitution to increase the maximum size of the state’s rainy day budget fund.
Two other constitutional amendments on tax relief for certain elderly or disabled people and veterans passed by wide margins, but the third – to raise the limit on the state’s rainy day fund from 10 to 15 percent of the average of income and retail sales taxes from the last three years — passed only 51 percent to 49 percent.
Sen. Jill Vogel, R-Upperville, said she heard from confused voters who tied voting for the amendment with possibly supporting a tax increase.
“The word I got back from people was that this was a prelude to a tax increase, but I don’t see that at all,” added Del. Bob Marshall, R-Prince William.
Votes for raising the cap differed by area, with rural areas like Smyth and Wythe counties garnering significantly lower support than Arlington’s 72 percent approval.
