GLOUCESTER, Va. (WAVY) — The Gloucester County Board of Supervisors has initiated a referendum for the November general election on whether they may levy a general retail sales tax at a rate not to exceed 1%.
If approved by voters, county leaders could be looking at a maximum sales tax rate of 6.3%, or 6.3 cents per dollar, compared to the 5.3%, or 5.3 cents, in place now.
If approved, the tax money collected will provide funding solely for the construction or renovation of local schools.
Gloucester’s 5-year Capital Improvement Plan includes about $48 million of potentially eligible projects created to support the long-term needs of public schools in the county.
Schools and projects mentioned in the plan include:
- Gloucester High School renovation
- Achilles Elementary School bus loop
- Page Middle School athletic field
- HVAC replacements at Peasley Middle and Bethel Elementary schools and the T.C. Walker Education Center
- Playground replacements at Botetourt, Petsworth and Bethel Elementary schools
- Major paving and lighting replacement projects at multiple schools.
The additional sales tax would not apply to:
- Specific high-cost items such as cars, trailers, boats, aircraft (or fuels for the same)
- Utilities
- Groceries
- Prescriptions or over-the-counter medications
- Certain agricultural, commercial and industrial items.
The sales tax would expire when the projects are paid in full and the debt is retired, or after 20 years, whichever occurs first. Also, if funding for construction or renovation of Gloucester County Public Schools is no longer needed, the Sales Tax could potentially go away.
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