In a polarized political climate in which Democrats and Republicans often emphasize their differences, the two parties in Wythe County have found common ground on an issue that might seem unlikely to unite them: raising taxes.
Both the county’s Republican and Democratic parties have endorsed a proposed 1% sales tax increase to help pay for more than $72 million in school construction and renovation projects. Their support comes as voters across Virginia prepare to decide whether their communities should adopt the same tax to address mounting school facility needs.
For Wythe County, the proposed tax could help fund renovations at Spiller Elementary School and Fort Chiswell High School, athletic field improvements and roof and chiller repairs across the division. Officials estimate the additional tax could generate $5 million to $6 million annually.
The county’s two political parties endorsed the referendum in September and have encouraged residents to learn about the proposal before voting.
“We recognize that voters may have different perspectives on taxes, spending, and how these projects should be funded,” the parties said in separate Facebook posts that shared the same statement. “We encourage every Wythe County voter to learn about the proposal, consider its costs and potential benefits, and make an informed decision.”
Their agreement highlights a broader dilemma facing local governments, particularly in rural Virginia: School buildings need expensive repairs and renovations, but communities must decide how to pay for them without placing an unsustainable burden on taxpayers.
A new option for paying for school projects
Wythe County is one of 47 localities across the state where voters will decide next month whether to authorize an additional 1% sales tax dedicated to school construction and renovation.
Local leaders across the state raced to get the measures on the ballot ahead of an August deadline this summer.
The ballot measures became possible after lawmakers included the new authority in Virginia’s 2026 budget, expanding a funding option that previously was available only to a limited number of localities.
The policy has drawn support across party lines in the General Assembly over the years, even as lawmakers have disagreed over tax increases.
In 2024, the Virginia House of Delegates approved a school construction sales tax bill sponsored by Del. Sam Rasoul, D-Roanoke, by a vote of 69-28. The Senate approved companion legislation sponsored by Sen. Jeremy McPike, D-Prince William County, by a vote of 27-13. Both bills received bipartisan support but were vetoed by then-Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican.
The issue returned during Virginia’s 2026 budget negotiations. Lawmakers ultimately approved a measure allowing counties and cities statewide to seek voter approval for the additional tax.
The efforts come as communities across Virginia face costly decisions about replacing outdated facilities, repairing roofs and heating and cooling systems and modernizing school facilities amid ballooning construction costs.
Now, local officials are trying to persuade voters that the new funding option is necessary.
In Southwest and Southside Virginia, the referenda are also on the ballot in Floyd, Franklin, Giles, Grayson, Pulaski and Smyth counties and the city of Martinsville.
Statewide, the 47 localities seeking approval represent a mix of communities, many of them rural and traditionally Republican. Thirty voted Republican in the 2024 presidential election, making the referenda a test of how voters in communities that often favor lower taxes will weigh that preference against the costs of maintaining public schools.
Who pays for school construction?
Supporters of the additional sales tax argue that it would give local governments an alternative to finance expensive school projects without placing the entire financial burden on local property owners.
Under the new law, local governments may seek approval for a sales tax increase of up to 1%, but the tax is not automatic: Local officials must initiate a referendum, and voters must approve the proposal before the locality can impose it.
The new authority is optional, meaning localities can decide whether the approach fits their financial needs and priorities. The revenue collected through the tax is restricted to eligible school construction and major renovation projects — it cannot be used to cover routine operating expenses.
In Wythe County, officials have touted that funding the identified $72 million in school construction projects through property taxes instead would require an increase of about 20 cents per $100 of assessed real estate value.
Early projections show that the new tax could generate $1.27 billion statewide over 3 years for school construction, with local accounts varying based on how much revenue a community typically generates from sales taxes, according to projections from the Virginia Municipal League, based on data from the Virginia Department of Education.
For Wythe County, the additional 1% could generate about $5 million to $6 million a year by 2028, according to the projections.
The sales tax, Wythe County officials argue, would spread some of the cost to people who shop in the county but live elsewhere. County estimates indicate that travelers and visitors account for more than 40% of local sales tax revenue, in part because Wythe County sits at the intersection of interstates 81 and 77.
Cindy McIlrath, vice chair of the county Republican Party, said she generally opposes tax increases but supports the referendum because she believes the county must find a way to pay for its school needs.
“Wythe County sits at the crossroads of I-81 and I-77. Visitors and travelers making taxable purchases here would help fund these school projects, too,” she wrote in an Oct. 16 Facebook post. “A real estate tax increase, on the other hand, would fall on local property owners.”
She also argued that rejecting the referendum would not eliminate the need to pay for the projects.
“Voting NO doesn’t automatically mean your taxes won’t increase; it means the county will have to determine another way to fund these projects, probably through higher real estate taxes,” she wrote. McIlrath did not respond to emails and a Facebook message asking for further comment. The Wythe County Republican Committee also did not respond to an email from a reporter.
Wythe County Public Schools Superintendent Russell Street made a similar case at a Sept. 11 board of supervisors meeting, saying the division has aging buildings and needs that cannot be addressed solely through its regular budget.
“With the sales tax option, those funds are 1% earmarked just for school construction,” Street said. “It can’t be used for salaries or anything. For voters, that’s huge because you, as a citizen, know where those funds are going.”
Scott Braband, executive director of the Virginia Association of School Superintendents, commended Wythe County’s bipartisan push — and said he wasn’t surprised by it.
“Our schools in Virginia are old. They have not been modernized for the 21st century,” he said by phone, citing a 2021 report that found nearly $25 billion was needed at the time to fully replace aging school facilities across the state. “We need a game changer, and the 1% sales tax option is a game changer for public school construction and for kids to be able to have the facilities and the infrastructure necessary to compete in a world that continues to change.”
A debate playing out across the region
Wythe County officials aren’t alone in trying to explain the potential costs and benefits of the tax.
In Franklin County, school and county officials have identified more than $117 million in capital improvement needs and, earlier this year, adopted a five-year, $91 million capital improvement plan to address some of those needs, including the building of a new career and technical education center.
This fall, school and county officials have held a series of town halls to explain the referendum and answer residents’ questions. At these meetings, Superintendent Kevin Siers has pointed to facilities in nearby communities like Henry County and Danville, which already have the sales tax in place, as examples of what could be done in Franklin County.
“If anybody’s been to a football game (in Henry County) lately, you’ve probably seen the new field houses that they have. They’ve renovated their auditoriums. They are upgrading the HVAC facilities at all their schools, so they are really putting the money to good use,” Siers told attendees at a Sept. 9 town hall.
At a Sept. 9 town hall, Brian Carter, deputy county administrator and chief financial officer, said a property tax rate increase of about 6 cents per $100 of assessed value would be needed to generate revenue comparable to what the sales tax could raise.
But Franklin County’s political parties haven’t weighed in on the issue.
Bill Cooper, chair of the Franklin County Republican Committee said in an email that the party has not taken a position on the 1% sales tax but didn’t explain why.
Members of the Franklin County Democratic Committee did not respond to an email or phone call from a reporter seeking comment on the issue.
The debate is not confined to Southwest and Southside Virginia. Across the state, supporters have promoted the tax as a way to share school construction costs with visitors and shoppers, rather than relying primarily on local property owners.
In Chesterfield and Prince Edward counties, officials and grassroots organizations are promoting campaigns in favor of the sales tax, and Democrats have weighed in on the issue in several communities. The Madison County Democratic Committee announced earlier this month that its members had unanimously voted to support the tax and have publicized an explainer on how the tax would work. Staunton Democrats and the Nelson County Democratic Committee have done the same.
But the proposal has also drawn opposition.
In York County, residents have organized a “No New Taxes” and “VOTE NO” effort urging voters to reject the measure. Opponents argue that an additional sales tax would increase costs for households already facing higher prices, with a disproportionate impact on people with lower incomes or those living on fixed incomes.
York County residents pay about 7% in sales and use taxes, according to the department of taxation — the highest rate in the commonwealth.
Those behind the “No New Taxes” or “VOTE NO” group argue that many residents can’t afford the additional tax.
Although groceries are excluded from the proposed tax, many other purchases would become more expensive if voters approve it. Some residents have also questioned whether a sales tax increase would fully address their communities’ needs or whether local governments could still need to raise property taxes to cover remaining costs.
In Albemarle County, GOP chair Phil Riese has publicly opposed the proposed sales tax, citing concerns about trust in school officials and spending, Cville Right Now reported. And in Bristol, even independent candidates are split on the issue.
For now, Wythe County’s Republican and Democratic parties’ agreement remains an unusual alliance.
Brabrand said he hopes Wythe County could be an example for other communities weighing tough, expensive decisions.
“I think this is just the first step. The voters have the final say, but I’m hopeful that Wythe County will be an example of a community coming together, regardless of your political background, and saying today’s students need to be in schools that are modernized and ready to prepare kids to be career ready and go out in the workplace and be successful,” Braband said by phone.
Whether voters agree will be decided at the ballot box. Early voting runs through Saturday, and the election is Nov. 3.
For a full rundown of what’s on the ballot in Wythe County — or any locality in Virginia — visit the Cardinal News voter guide.
