Editor, the News-Herald:

The big debate this year in the General Assembly is a tax increase with a big budget deficit.

The House plan &uot;provides without a general tax increase on Virginia families.&uot; There are still tax increases needed to pay for all of the wasteful spending proposals.

The House plan, which is spending the least, still is increasing spending $2 billion more tax dollars.

Look at the list:

$230,000,000 more for a rainy day fund

$12,400,000 more for state-supported local pay raises

$12,000,000 more for College & University faculty pay raises

$28,000,000 more for state employee pay raises

$27,400,000 more for mental health

$712,800,000 more for Medicaid

I spent eight years on the State Medicaid Board and never saw so much fraud, waste and abuse in these huge expenses. We have got to stop paying for those who are illegally collecting down here from New York, New Jersey and North Carolina, along with extreme abuse to the system.

$131,700,000 for higher education funding.

(Colleges already charge $12,000. to $32,000/per student/year)

$810,000,000 for public education funding. (Schools already get $5,000 to $9,000 per student/per year. The private schools educate much better at a much lower rate, proven by much better SAT averages.)

Write to our Delegate Chris Jones and tell him no tax increases in any way and just cut this over spending. You can also call him locally at 483-6242.

Niecie K. Garner

Reid’s Ferry Road

Suffolk