Danica Roem is all of the Monday Motivation that You Need
Delegate-elect Danica Roem is just a few weeks away from being sworn in to the Virginia House of Delegates, which will make her the first openly-transgender person to serve in any state legislature in the country. She says she was able to win her seat by being “unabashedly” herself, having a strong team, and sticking to core issues.
“Be who you are and be that well,” Roem said. “Champion the things that are near and dear to you, and go win.”
Roem, a Democrat, expressed concerns about the Republican tax plan, specifically its impact on state and local tax deductions. She says that if SALT deductions go away, people will now have to pay an extra tax to the government. She encourages constituents to organize and to read the GOP’s Tax Bill once it’s out. Roem told Cheddar that if the bill is “as bad as we anticipate,” the people need to “raise hell and win.”
“There’s so many issues that directly affect people’s lives, and also affect our localities’ ability to raise money, and affect the state government’s ability to raise money, ” she said.
Still, Roem says that she will be seeking out support from Republican counterparts and from Republican voters alike. While she foresees disagreement over topics like medicaid expansion, she does hope to be able to work with Republicans to impact other legislations, such as infrastructure issues.
For full interview [click here.] (https://cheddar.com/videos/danica-roems-advice-for-anyone-who-wants-to-make-a-difference)
U.S. states could face some hurdles as they experiment with road usage charging programs aimed at one day replacing motor fuel taxes, which are generating less each year, in part due to fuel efficiency and the rise of electric cars.
The defiance of restrictions in North Dakota on what bathrooms transgender students can use in public schools and universities shows that it's not exactly clear how bathroom laws will play out in local communities after being enacted in at least 10 states with Republican-controlled legislatures.
The Supreme Court on Monday left in place an appellate ruling barring a North Carolina public charter school from requiring girls to wear skirts to school.
The U.S. Department of Transportation is awarding almost $1.7 billion in grants for buying zero- and low-emission buses, with the money going to transit projects in 46 states and territories.
Vice President Kamala Harris said Supreme Court conservatives caused a healthcare crisis in America and blasted abortion bans in Republican-led states.
To many observers, the efforts to roll back two policies that disproportionately help Black students and other students of color reflect a backlash to racial progress in higher education.