HB 600 (Kilgore), HB 805 (Rasoul), and SB 14 (McPike) would permit any county or city to impose an additional local sales and use tax of up to 1 percent, if initiated by a resolution of the local governing body and approved by voters at a local referendum. The revenues of such local tax would be used solely for capital projects for the construction or renovation of schools. Any tax imposed shall expire when the costs for capital projects are to be repaid and shall not be more than 20 years after the date of the resolution passed.
Currently, this authority is limited to the qualifying localities of Charlotte, Gloucester, Halifax, Henry, Mecklenburg, Northampton, Patrick, and Pittsylvania Counties and the City of Danville. HB 60 (Wright) and HB 193 (Cole) would expand this authority to Prince Edward County and Stafford County respectively and are also supported by VACo.
These bills allow counties to exercise a local voter approved option to meet their community needs and are about creating parity between local governments.
Here is a one-pager that further explains this issue and what the bills would accomplish.
Here is a short video explaining the legislation and the urgent need.
Contact your legislators today to encourage their support of these measures. Please let VACo know how your legislators respond to your request.
VACo Contact: Jeremy R. Bennett