PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Portsmouth voters will decide in November whether to approve a 1% sales tax that would fund school renovation and construction projects.
Portsmouth Public Schools told WTKR News 3 the tax would generate about $13 million a year for school construction. If voters approve it, the 1% tax would remain in place through 2046.
The district's top priority is building a new K-8 school, estimated to cost $85 million. Portsmouth Public Schools said the referendum would create a dedicated funding source for long-needed school improvements.
Mayor Shannon Glover said the opportunity to hold a referendum stems from action by the Virginia General Assembly.
"School renovation really hasn't been a priority for the state probably for the last 50 years. We have a number of our schools in the city of Portsmouth that are in disrepair," Glover said. "The beautiful thing about democracy is that the people will decide which way we go with this one percent."
Councilman Vernon Tillage Jr. also voiced support for the measure at the July 28, 2026 city council meeting.
"We have to make sure we are providing school buildings that are safe and of good quality for our students and staff to be able to learn and work in." Tillage Jr. said.
Not everyone is on board. Some residents say they are already stretched thin financially.
"Another shot in the heart," Shenina Francis said. "I mean like, we pay a lot. We pay a lot in taxes, we pay a lot in utility bills we pay a lot in everything. And now they want to add something else. It's like they don't care about us."
Ted Lamb, a former Portsmouth school board member, argues the district should have planned for these projects without asking taxpayers to pay more.
"There's no money available and therefore they want to put it on the backs of the taxpayers when they did not, I would argue or make the point, that they didn't allocate correctly." Lamb said.
Francis' daughter attended Portsmouth Public Schools, said she agrees the schools need renovating but wants more transparency about how previous funding was spent.
"So you're getting this money but you go in and the bathrooms are still raggedy and the classroom AC doesn't work. Help me understand where the money is going." Francis said.
Portsmouth Public Schools declined an on-camera interview, saying it will speak once its referendum task force is in place. The role of the task force will be to inform Portsmouth neighbors about the referendum.
Portsmouth voters will have the final say this November.
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