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Board discusses local referendum option for school construction, urges LCI funding fix; posts District 4 vacancy
Summary
Board members debated whether to ask state legislators to allow a local referendum on a 1¢ sales tax for school construction (SB1307) and reiterated that fixing the state LCI funding formula is the division's top legislative priority.
Board members discussed whether to send a letter to state legislators asking them to permit counties to place a local referendum to adopt a 1¢ retail sales tax for school construction—legislation referenced as SB1307—so that county voters could decide whether to add the tax locally despite the governor's veto.
Board member Miss Dawson said she drafted a memo to local legislators seeking support to allow Orange County to place a referendum; she emphasized the idea is to let local constituents vote on whether to apply an additional 1¢ sales tax to support school construction. Several board members supported letting voters decide, while others raised concerns: one member said taxes implemented locally rarely get rescinded and noted existing local tax levels, and another urged the board to prioritize fixing the LCI (Local Composite Index) SOQ funding formula addressed in JLARC recommendations.
Board members discussed logistics and timing: the legislative committee meets April 10 (typically by Zoom) and some members said there may not be time to lobby personally before the legislature resolves vetoes. Members agreed the LCI formula fix should be the top legislative priority; they also discussed whether separate letters should be sent—one requesting the referendum authority and another urging LCI reform.
Other board updates: the board announced it will accept letters of interest from District 4 residents to fill a board vacancy and said the Piedmont Regional Education Program budget was approved at about $4.8 million with Orange County's share of $38,531.97; the region's executive director, Angela Neely, will leave and the position is posted on Fluvanna County's site (the fiscal agent).
