Trust in government is basic to democracy.

We need to count on getting straight information from our leaders and from our representatives who make the laws that govern how we co-exist.

People such as Donald Trump damage that trust when they persistently lie. The former president’s false claims that he was the 2020 election winner and that the victory was stolen from him, claims based on the multiple indictments that could land him in jail, are a prime example.

That’s why we must call out Gov. Glenn A. Youngkin for falsely claiming a bigger surplus in the state’s revenue than was factual.

He boasted that Virginia finished with $1.5 billion in excess revenue after the 2022-23 fiscal year ended June 30, and used that positive report to denounce political opponents who he said are blocking his plan to cut taxes.

He said there was clearly enough money to make sure he and his wealthy friends pay less while also boosting state investments in education and mental health.

However, his administration had to quickly walk back the governor’s claim. According to administration officials, $1 billion of that revenue surplus was spoken for. It was owed to businesses that pre-paid too much in taxes and were due a refund.

Suddenly, the real revenue surplus had retreated to $500 million, which is really good, but is not the same as $1.5 billion.

Why paint the lily, governor? Why breed distrust? It becomes harder to believe other things you say when you speak with a forked tongue about the state’s finances.