Committee forwards 1% local sales‑tax referendum for school construction; advisers estimate ~$45M net annually

The Education & Human Services committee voted to forward resolution 20 26 r 0 2 8 to place before Richmond voters the question of whether the city should be authorized to levy a local sales tax up to 1% dedicated solely to school construction and major renovations.

What advisers said: David Rose, financial adviser with Davenport & Company, presented preliminary modeling showing a gross estimate of about $55,000,000 and a preliminary net estimate of about $45,000,000 per year to the city after typical exemptions. "We are preliminarily looking at about $45,000,000 a year," Rose told the committee, and he noted revenue could grow over the 20‑year collection period as inflation and economic activity change.

Use cases and capital needs: Superintendent Camrys described immediate maintenance and capital needs — roughly $23,000,000 of immediate maintenance and about $30,000,000 of ongoing deferred maintenance annually — and identified specific projects that could be advanced with additional capital: a South Side CTE center (Phase 1 estimated at about $65,000,000 with roughly $20,000,000 in state funds committed and about $35,000,000 in existing city funds, leaving a $10,000,000 gap) and the Woodville rebuild (estimated ~$50,000,000 with $12,400,000 state funds that could be lost if construction does not start). Camrys said the 1% could be bonded to leverage larger projects.

Questions and requests for analysis: Council members asked how much of projected revenue would be generated by brick‑and‑mortar retail versus online sales, who ultimately bears the tax burden (resident vs. nonresident share), and whether voters would know which projects would be funded when they vote. Administration said a fuller fiscal and equity analysis would be provided ahead of the council’s anticipated July 27 vote and that a public briefing was scheduled to present revenue projections and implementation details.

Committee action: The committee recorded a motion recommending approval and the clerk recorded votes (including Mister Bridal and Chair Lynch recorded as voting ‘Aye’). The resolution now moves forward in the process to appear on the ballot if subsequent steps follow the planned timeline.