Editor’s Note: The 1% Local Sales Tax referendum is on the ballot in the five counties of the Piedmont Journal Recorder coverage area: Culpeper, Greene, Madison, Orange, and Rappahannock. While the author lives in Madison County, his message applies to voters in all five counties. He’s concerned the yard signs planted around the region urging voters to vote ‘NO’ on the three state referendums will follow with a no on the local sales tax referendum for public schools infrastructure.
Drive anywhere in Virginia this fall, and you’ll see the signs. Some say vote YES on all three constitutional amendments. Others say vote NO on all three. Both sides want you to make one decision and apply it to everything.
That works for the three amendments. But the ballot is longer than what the signs say!
Here in Madison County, we also have a local referendum on a 1% sales tax dedicated exclusively to the construction and renovation of Madison County Public Schools. It’s a separate question from the state amendments. No party is putting up signs about it, and no party can tell you how to think about it…