School Construction Sales Tax Could Raise About 1.27 Billion Over Three Years

A 1 percent sales-and-use tax dedicated to school construction could generate more than $1.27 billion over three years if voters in all 47 participating Virginia localities approve November ballot questions, according to Virginia Municipal League estimates based on Department of Taxation data.

The potential revenue varies sharply. Buena Vista might raise about $500,000 a year, Giles County about $2.3 million and Franklin County at least $7.2 million through fiscal 2028. The gap shows how a local-option sales tax follows retail activity more closely than school need.

Even $1.27 billion would not close Virginia’s nearly $25 billion modernization gap. More than half of surveyed school buildings are at least 50 years old. Nine localities authorized under a 2020 law have raised more than $119 million for projects including Danville’s George Washington High School renovation.

Del. Sam Rasoul, D-Roanoke, warned that sales taxes are regressive and often insufficient in rural areas. He urged stronger state grants and zero-interest loans. Supporters say local voters should decide whether to fund buildings rather than wait for Richmond; critics say a patchwork could widen gaps between wealthy retail corridors and poorer communities.

School boards and councils must decide which projects revenue would fund, how collections interact with debt service and whether the tax would free operating dollars now diverted to capital repairs. The commission’s locality-by-locality estimates provide a starting point, but each governing body must explain its own project list.

If every measure passes, $1.27 billion is a ceiling based on full participation. If only some pass, the total shrinks while the statewide facilities backlog remains measured in tens of billions. Local sales taxes are one tool, not a complete modernization plan.

Email the House of Delegates at:
Jessica Anderson: DelJAnderson@house.virginia.gov,
Bonita Anthony: DelBAnthony@house.virginia.gov,
Alex Askew: DelAAskew@house.virginia.gov,
Terry Austin: DelTAustin@house.virginia.gov,
Jason Ballard: DelJBallard@house.virginia.gov,
Robert Bloxom, Jr.: DelRBloxom@house.virginia.gov,
Gretchen Bulova: DelGBulova@house.virginia.gov,
Katrina Callsen: DelKCallsen@house.virginia.gov,
Karen Carnegie: DelKCarnegie@house.virginia.gov,
Betsy Carr: DelBCarr@house.virginia.gov,
Stacey Carroll: DelSCarroll@house.virginia.gov,
Mike Cherry: DelMCherry@house.virginia.gov,
Nadarius Clark: DelNClark@house.virginia.gov,
Laura Cohen: DelLJCohen@house.virginia.gov,
Joshua Cole: DelJCole@house.virginia.gov,
Nicole Cole: DelNCole@house.virginia.gov,
Kelly Convirs-Fowler: DelKConvirs-Fowler@house.virginia.gov,
Mitchell Cornett: DelMCornett@house.virginia.gov,
Rae Cousins: DelRCousins@house.virginia.gov,
Will Davis: DelWDavis@house.virginia.gov,
Karrie Delaney: DelKDelaney@house.virginia.gov,
Lindsey Dougherty: DelLDougherty@house.virginia.gov,
Mark Downey: DelMDowney@house.virginia.gov,
Michael Feggans: DelMFeggans@house.virginia.gov,
Hyland Fowler, Jr.: DelBFowler@house.virginia.gov,
Lily Franklin: DelLFranklin@house.virginia.gov,
Margaret Franklin: DelMFranklin@house.virginia.gov,
Debra Gardner: DelDGardner@house.virginia.gov,
Thomas Garrett, Jr.: DelTGarrett@house.virginia.gov,
Jackie Glass: DelJGlass@house.virginia.gov,
Timothy Griffin: DelTGriffin@house.virginia.gov,
Elizabeth Guzman: DelEGuzman@house.virginia.gov,
Karen Hamilton: DelKHamilton@house.virginia.gov,
Cliff Hayes, Jr.: DelCHayes@house.virginia.gov,
Dan Helmer: DelDHelmer@house.virginia.gov,
Rozia Henson, Jr.: DelRHenson@house.virginia.gov,
Phil Hernandez: DelPHernandez@house.virginia.gov,
Charniele Herring: DelCHerring@house.virginia.gov,
Keith Hodges: DelKHodges@house.virginia.gov,
Patrick Hope: DelPHope@house.virginia.gov,
Hillary Kent: DelHKent@house.virginia.gov,
Karen Keys-Gamarra: DelKKeys-Gamarra@house.virginia.gov,
Terry Kilgore: DelTKilgore@house.virginia.gov,
Paul Krizek: DelPKrizek@house.virginia.gov,
Amy Laufer: DelALaufer@house.virginia.gov,
Destiny LeVere Bolling: DelDLeVereBolling@house.virginia.gov,
Jay Leftwich, Jr.: DelJLeftwich@house.virginia.gov,
Alfonso Lopez: DelALopez@house.virginia.gov,
Fernando Martinez: DelMMartinez@house.virginia.gov,
John McAuliff: DelJMcAuliff@house.virginia.gov,
Adele McClure: DelAMcClure@house.virginia.gov,
Garrett McGuire: DelGMcGuire@house.virginia.gov,
Ellen McLaughlin: DelEMcLaughlin@house.virginia.gov,
Joseph McNamara: DelJMcNamara@house.virginia.gov,
Kirk McPike: DelKMcPike@house.virginia.gov,
Delores McQuinn: DelDMcQuinn@house.virginia.gov,
Leslie Mehta: DelLMehta@house.virginia.gov,
Will Morefield: DelJMorefield@house.virginia.gov,
May Nivar: DelMNivar@house.virginia.gov,
Israel O’Quinn: DeliOquinn@house.virginia.gov,
Delores Oates: DelDOates@house.virginia.gov,
Justin Pence: DelJPence@house.virginia.gov,
Eric Phillips: DelEPhillips@house.virginia.gov,
Kimberly Pope Adams: DelKPopeAdams@house.virginia.gov,
Cia Price: DelMPrice@house.virginia.gov,
Sam Rasoul: DelSRasoul@house.virginia.gov,
Atoosa Reaser: DelAReaser@house.virginia.gov,
David Reid: DelDReid@house.virginia.gov,
Andrew Rice: DelARice@house.virginia.gov,
Chris Runion: DelCRunion@house.virginia.gov,
Charles Schmidt, Jr.: DelCSchmidt@house.virginia.gov,
Don Scott: DelDScott@house.virginia.gov,
Phillip Scott: DelPScott@house.virginia.gov,
Holly Seibold: DelHSeibold@house.virginia.gov,
Briana Sewell: DelBSewell@house.virginia.gov,
Irene Shin: DelIShin@house.virginia.gov,
Marcus Simon: DelMSimon@house.virginia.gov,
Shelly Simonds: DelSSimonds@house.virginia.gov,
JJ Singh: DelJSingh@house.virginia.gov,
Rip Sullivan, Jr.: DelRSullivan@house.virginia.gov,
Anne Tata: DelAFTata@house.virginia.gov,
Josh Thomas: DelJThomas@house.virginia.gov,
Virgil Thornton, Sr.: DelVThornton@house.virginia.gov,
Luke Torian: DelLTorian@house.virginia.gov,
Kathy Tran: DelKTran@house.virginia.gov,
Howard Wachsmann, Jr.: DelOWachsmann@house.virginia.gov,
Wendell Walker: DelWWalker@house.virginia.gov,
Jeion Ward: DelJWard@house.virginia.gov,
Lee Ware: DelLWare@house.virginia.gov,
Vivian Watts: DelVWatts@house.virginia.gov,
Michael Webert: DelMWebert@house.virginia.gov,
Madison Whittle: DelMWhittle@house.virginia.gov,
Bill Wiley: DelBWiley@house.virginia.gov,
Rodney Willett: DelRWillett@house.virginia.gov,
Wren Williams: DelWWilliams@house.virginia.gov,
Tony Wilt: DelTWilt@house.virginia.gov,
Thomas Wright, Jr.: DelTWright@house.virginia.gov,
Scott Wyatt: DelSWyatt@house.virginia.gov,
Eric Zehr: DelEZehr@house.virginia.gov,

Email the Giles County Board/Council:
Jeffrey Morris, jmorris@gilescounty.org,
John Lawson, Jr., jlawson@gilescounty.org,
Perry Martin, pmartin@gilescounty.org,
Richard “Ricky” McCoy, rmccoy@gilescounty.org,
Paul “Chappy” Baker,

Email the Giles County School Board:
Jason B. Buckland, jbuckland@gilesk12.net,
Nicole Price, nprice@gilesk12.net,
Larry Jay Williams, jaywilliams@gilesk12.net,
Melissa Guynn, mguynn@gilesk12.net,
William “Davy” Price, dprice@gilesk12.net,

Email the Franklin County Board of Supervisors:
Mike Carter, Mike.Carter@franklincountyva.gov,
Marshall Jamison, Marshall.Jamison@franklincountyva.gov,
Mike Meredith, mike.meredith@franklincountyva.gov,
Nick Mitchell, Nick.Mitchell@franklincountyva.gov,
Dan Quinn, dan.quinn@franklincountyva.gov,
Lorie Smith, Lorie.Smith@franklincountyva.gov,
Tim Tatum, tim.tatum@franklincountyva.gov,

Email the Franklin County School Board:
Arlet Greer,
Jonathan Holley,
Jerry Conner,
Rebekah Slocum,
Jeff Worley,
Ron Shiflett,
Sandra Ingram,
Todd Martin,