Many voters across Virginia are seeing a school construction referendum on the ballot this year. But most residents in Northern Virginia will not be voting on this issue.
Voters across Virginia are considering a new local sales tax to raise money for school construction, more than 40 localities have it on the ballot. But none of the big Northern Virginia jurisdictions are holding a local referendum on the topic – not Fairfax County, not Loudoun, not Alexandria and not in Arlington, where Maureen Coffey is on the County Board.
"The history of successful tax referendums is that going it alone makes it much harder, and that's something I, at least personally, am very cognizant of — that having just Arlington do this, or just Alexandria, or just Fairfax, is going to be a much harder uphill climb than if we have a more comprehensive regional strategy," Coffey says.
One of the considerations with the referendum in Northern Virginia is that the money could be used for either school construction or transportation, which complicated the decision for many local leaders. Catherine Read is mayor of Fairfax City, which does have the referendum on the ballot.
"The language on our referendum has to say for schools, or it's for transportation, or you can use it for both schools and transportation," Read says. "It definitely muddies the waters for the conversation we've been having for three years with the residents in our city."
The referendum is on the ballot along with elections for U.S. Senate, House of Representatives and three proposed amendments to the Virginia constitution. Voting ends on Tuesday, November 3rd.
