Call to Action: Danville Residents to Call on the General Assembly and the Governor to Restore Budget Cuts and Bring Balance Back to Virginia

Danville, VA– On Thursday, September 16, Virginia Organizing will hold a public “budget balance” demonstration and a budget call to action at the Greater Living Word Ministries Church. The group will use a seesaw to demonstrate that when budget cuts are made to education or other vital services, the whole state gets out of balance, much like a seesaw. Using a weight balance, the group will attempt to balance cuts to social services (represented by school supplies and medicine bottles) against tax cuts for the wealthy (represented by toy cars, toy yachts and gold bricks).

“We can’t have it all and may have to choose between raising modest revenue and making vital cuts to services like education. This is a no-brainer since our state needs teachers more than it does luxury yachts,” said Pastor Loretta Murray of Greater Living Word Ministries Church. Along with the balance demonstration, the group will hand out information on the state budget as well as generate calls to Delegate Marshall and State Senator Hurt. Tuesday’s event is part of Balance Virginia, a public education campaign of Virginia Organizing on budget issues.

The group has two goals for the upcoming General Assembly session. The first is that future budget decisions made by the state government balance existing budget cuts with new revenue. The second goal is to modernize the state's "old and rusty" tax structure so that everyone pays their fair share.

WHO: Virginia Organizing

WHAT: Community Call to Action: Restore Cuts and Bring Balance Back to Virginia

WHEN: Thursday, September 16, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. (media event will start at 12 noon)

WHERE: Greater Living Word Ministries 533 Kemper Rd. Danville, VA 24541