Albemarle voters to weigh 1-cent sales tax for school construction this fall

Referendum would raise the local sales tax rate to help fund a backlog of school building needs

By Albemarle County Public Schools

ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Va. — Albemarle County voters will decide Nov. 3 whether to let the county add a penny to the local sales tax, with the money able to be used only for building and renovating public schools.

The Albemarle County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously July 15 to put the question on the ballot, following a change in state law this year that allows every county and city in Virginia the option to seek revenues for needed school construction projects through a local sales tax increase. If approved, the county’s sales tax rate would rise from 5.3% to 6.3%. Groceries, essential personal hygiene products and prescription medicines would not be subject to the sales tax increase.

A yes vote would not put the tax in place right away. It would simply give the Board of Supervisors the authority to adopt an ordinance allowing them to levy the tax. State law requires at least 120 days to pass between that ordinance and the tax taking effect.

By law, the revenue can be used only for school construction, renovation and related debt payments. The increased revenue cannot be used for salaries, maintenance or daily operational costs. Those must be covered through existing revenue streams. The 1-cent sales tax increase would automatically expire June 30, 2046, unless voters renew it in a future referendum.

County officials estimate the tax would generate at least $20 million a year, though the figure would rise and fall with retail sales within the county.

The referendum comes as Albemarle County Public Schools currently has a list of capital needs estimated at over $500 million, which was approved by the school board with guidance from the Long-Range Planning Advisory Committee. The committee, made up of appointed residents, grounded the list on four facility studies conducted between 2022 and 2025 and prioritizes modernizing facilities, reducing overcrowding and increasing accessibility.

Of the division’s recommended projects, only one — a new elementary school for the Northern Feeder Pattern, estimated at $68.4 million — is planned for future funding in the county’s current capital plan. The others are not, including the division’s largest single request: a proposed comprehensive high school estimated at $231.6 million.

Division data show that ACPS school buildings have been in service, on average, over 52 years, and 15 of the county’s 27 school facilities have been in service 50 years or longer. The American Society of Civil Engineers uses 50 years as its standard benchmark for when school buildings typically require major system upgrades or replacement, a threshold the group says reflects the age of school infrastructure nationwide.

Albemarle is one of several Central Virginia localities asking voters to weigh in this fall. Rappahannock, Orange, Madison, Greene, Fluvanna and Nelson counties, along with the city of Charlottesville, have also placed the question on their November ballots. Louisa County considered adding the referendum but decided against it, and Buckingham County did not take up the question.

“We have a significant need for new school construction and modernization,” noted Rebecca Berlin, chair of the Albemarle County School Board. “During the most recent budget discussions with the Board of Supervisors, it was made clear that additional funding is necessary if we are going to find a way to address the extensive list of identified school projects.”

Early voting begins Sept. 18 at the Albemarle County Office Building, with mailed ballots available on request. Polls will be open 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day. Residents can confirm their registration status or polling location through the Albemarle County Voter Registration Office.

Albemarle County Public Schools has published a page detailing the ballot language, the division’s capital project list and answers to frequently asked questions about the referendum. The division has said the page is intended to inform voters and does not advocate a position on the tax.