The Virginia General Assembly is moving forward with a bill aimed at providing localities with additional financial resources to tackle school construction projects. The bill, introduced by Senator Jeremy McPike (D-Prince William), would allow localities to charge an extra 1% sales tax, which would then be directed toward school construction and renovations. However, the bill requires approval through a referendum by voters in each locality before any tax increase can be enacted.

According to McPike, the bill addresses the need for more localized solutions to the state’s aging school infrastructure. “Localities all across Virginia have asked for additional tools to start to solve their own problems,” McPike said in an interview. He emphasized that it would ultimately be up to the local voters to decide whether they want to support this measure. “It’s the choice of the local voter. They know the infrastructure of their schools. Their kids go there,” McPike explained.

The bill was introduced in response to a 2021 report that highlighted the deteriorating state of many schools across Virginia. The report found that over half of the schools in the state were more than 50 years old, and the cost of replacing those aging schools was estimated to be nearly $25 billion. McPike highlighted the visible signs of deterioration within these schools, citing leaky roofs and outdated technology. “When kids roll into school every day, they can see whether their community’s invested in their schools or not,” McPike said. “We have leaky roofs. We have outdated technology all across Virginia.”

However, the proposed bill has faced opposition, particularly from Republican lawmakers such as Senator Minority Leader Ryan McDougle (R-Hanover). McDougle expressed concerns about the bill's potential to increase taxes. “I don’t support it because I think that it’s a tax increase,” McDougle said. “There are other things that we have put in the budget that are able to fund school construction. One of the deals with casinos was that a large portion of revenues that come from casinos go into a school construction budget.”

Despite the opposition, McPike remains confident that the bill will make progress in the legislative process. It is expected that the bill will pass through the House of Delegates and eventually be sent to Governor Glenn Youngkin’s desk. Last year, Governor Youngkin vetoed a similar piece of legislation that would have allowed localities to raise sales taxes for school construction. McPike is hopeful that with some adjustments, this year’s version will gain the approval needed to pass.

This proposed bill is seen by many as a necessary step in addressing the state’s school construction challenges. As schools continue to age and the cost of rebuilding them skyrockets, localities are hoping for new ways to raise the funds required for necessary upgrades and repairs to their educational infrastructure. With the bill now moving forward, there is optimism that Virginia’s schools will begin to receive the investments they need for the future.

Originally reported by Tyler Englander by dcnewsnow.