From the VWC:
General Assembly Update- Virginia passes a budget!
After a few tense days in Richmond this week, the General Assembly passed a budget for FY 2012-2014, although not without a few bumps in the road in the evenly-divided Virginia Senate. The Governor now has a week to review the budget and send amendments to the legislature for final approval, which is expected in early May.
The VWC was successful in achieving our budget goals for the 2012 General Assembly Session thanks to the support of many legislators and the House and Senate Budget negotiators in particular. Of note, the diversion of $100,000 from the Wine Promotion Fund to a specific TV marketing program was not included in the final budget compromise, bringing to close an issue of concern the VWC had been working on in earnest since mid-February. See below for a short summary of our budget success:
- Over $1.7 million for the Wine Promotion Fund
- Funding for additional oversight position for the Virginia Winery Distribution Company
- $250,000 for the Winery & Vineyard Tax credit
$100,000 for TV promotion of wineries through the Virginia Tourism Corporation, to be granted in a competitive bid process between broadcast and cable television.
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