Moderate Democrats Question RGGI Revival as Virginia Grapples with Soaring Costs

Liberal architects of RGGI, like former Governor Northam, touted funds for green initiatives, but detractors across aisles label it a burdensome energy tax hitting utilities and, by extension, housing affordability. Rejoining could add $500 million yearly—over $1,100 per family—exacerbating Loudoun County’s median home prices above $700,000, where overregulation stifles supply.

These leftist policies concern pragmatic Democrats prioritizing working families. Deregulating land use, easing permitting, and adopting all-of-above energy—natural gas, nuclear, alongside renewables—offer proven paths to 35 percent housing cost reductions without punishing consumers. Tax relief, not cap-and-trade, truly aids affordability, as Youngkin’s withdrawal demonstrated.

Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, led by Chair Phyllis Randall and Vice Chair Mike Turner (Ashburn), with members spanning Algonkian, Sterling (Koran Saines), navigates these tensions through zoning reforms. Yet state-level RGGI revival threatens local gains.

Abigail Spanberger’s commitment to reinstatement ignores these realities, favoring ideology over evidence.