Albemarle Supervisors move forward with public hearing for sales tax increase

As of publication time, there are 31,018 votes in favor of Albemarle County’s imposition of a one-percent sales tax to fund school construction or renovation projects. That is 53.63 percent of the vote.

The Albemarle Board of Supervisors got an update on what happens next at their meeting on November 4.

“Now that the measure has passed on the ballot, the next step in the process is for the Board of Supervisors to adopt an ordinance and enable the enactment of the sales tax,” said Chief Financial Officer Jacob Sumner. The date that this would likely be brought back to the board would be December 9th.”

Once the ordinance is adopted, there is a 120-day period after the next first day of the month before it can be levied. That would mean May 1, 2027 if adopted in December.

Albemarle County Attorney Andy Herrick said it would be up to the Board to decide if there would be a public hearing before adopting the tax ordinance. One is not required by state code.

Scottsville District Supervisor Mike Pruitt said he was still uneasy about the tax increase.

“I would have a very hard time making what I would think would be an informed decision, however, without having had the opportunity to get more clarity on how schools would specifically allocate any new funding and their specific plans for the new funding vis-à-vis their capital plan,” Pruitt said.

Rio District Supervisor Ned Gallaway said the School Board’s Long Range Planning Advisory Committee should have a finalized report next week and that information will be available by December 9. He said he wanted to get going.

“I think by putting this in play, it really gets the timing going and the prep work done,” Gallaway said. “I mean, I don’t even pretend to know all the machinations of getting a tax in place and the education and what has to happen for businesses and such, but all of that has to get rolling.”

Phil Riese, chairman of the Albemarle County Republican Committee, issued a statement on November 4 noting the narrow victory of the referendum as well as the failure of similar initiatives in Fluvanna, Greene, and Nelson.

“Tuesday’s sales tax referendum tells the Board of Supervisors and the School Board that constant calls for tax increases have limits, even in Albemarle County,” Riese said.

There are 362 days until the next election in Albemarle and three seats on the Board of Supervisors will be up. They are the Rivanna District seat held by Bea LaPisto-Kirtley, the Scottsville District seat held by Pruitt, and the White Hall District seat held by Ann Mallek.

So far no candidates have filed paperwork with the Virginia Department of Elections.

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