NORFOLK, Va. — Virginia Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin visited the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore in Norfolk on Wednesday, where he and three of his cabinet secretaries spent some time packing meals to be distributed to low-income communities.
“We're seeing donations down at the food bank here. We're at the Foodbank of Southeast Virginia and Eastern Shore, and donations are down 25%. We're also just learning that, of course, the cost of a backpack, bag of food that they've been providing kids who are suffering from food insecurity, has gone from $5 to $7 for each pack. That's inflation,” Youngkin said.
The governor-elect said he hoped to keep his campaign promise of eliminating Virginia's grocery tax as a way to lower the cost of living in the Commonwealth.
Out-going Virginia Governor Ralph Northam asked the state legislature to do away with the state’s 1.5% tax on groceries in his final budget proposal in office. His proposal does not eliminate an add-on tax of 1% by localities.
Northam first proposed eliminating the grocery tax when he ran for governor in 2017, but it was not a central theme of his campaign.
Youngkin campaigned heavily on the issue, making it part of his “day one game plan.”
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
