Chesterfield’s “1 For Schools” Ballot Question: What the County Says a 1% Sales Tax Would Fund and What It Could Mean for Property Taxes

Published October 21, 2026 | Written by the Mission Realty Team.

On the November 3, 2026 ballot, Chesterfield County voters will be asked whether the county may levy an additional local retail sales tax of up to 1 percentage point, with the money restricted to building or renovating public schools. The county’s own explainer, “Just the Facts,” was posted October 15, 2026, and it also raises a question that matters to homeowners: what happens to the county’s property tax rates if the measure passes.

Our sources are that Chesterfield on Point explainer, which carries no reporter byline, and the county’s 1 For Schools Referendum page. Both are the county government’s own communications, so every figure below is a county estimate, not an independent finding. This is our summary, with local context added, and it is not a voting recommendation. More coverage is in our Richmond area news posts.

What the ballot question would do

According to the county page, a yes vote would let the Board of Supervisors adopt an ordinance raising the retail sales tax in Chesterfield from 6% to as much as 7%. Revenue could go only to qualifying school construction and renovation projects, and the tax would expire July 22, 2046. The county lists food bought for home consumption and essential personal hygiene products as exempt. The explainer says the General Assembly gave counties and cities this authority effective July 1, and that the board asked the Circuit Court in July to place the question on the ballot.

What the county says it would fund

The county projects $65 million to $70 million in annual revenue beginning July 1, 2027. The explainer names six school projects: a Midlothian Middle School replacement, a Thomas Dale High School addition, a new elementary school and pre-K center in the Dale District, a Matoaca Middle School renovation, a new elementary school serving the Midlothian and Clover Hill districts, and a Bird High School gymnasium expansion. About half of the revenue would repay bonds for those projects. The other half would fund ongoing major maintenance, such as roofs and HVAC, across the school division’s 68 facilities. The explainer adds that the 2022 bond referendum authorized up to $375 million in borrowing but did not create a dedicated source to repay it.

The property tax angle

The county page says that if voters approve, the board “has signaled it will consider” a 2-cent cut to the real estate rate and a 10-cent cut to the personal property rate. The explainer is clear that this is not a promise: Virginia law requires the board to set tax rates in its annual budget process, so it could not put a binding commitment on the ballot. For household impact, the county estimates the average Chesterfield household would pay $162 more in sales tax each year, and that a household owning a home and a car would see about $94 in relief if those rate cuts happen, for a net of $68 a year. Those are county projections, not guarantees.

What it means for Chesterfield homeowners and buyers

Real estate taxes are part of a home’s monthly cost, so this vote is worth understanding even if you never read a ballot closely. Nothing changes until voters decide on November 3. If the measure passes, the rate question moves to the board’s budget process, and we cannot say whether rates will fall or by how much. We have not seen any published analysis of how the vote could affect home values, so we are not predicting one. If you are comparing homes in Midlothian, the broader Chesterfield community, or elsewhere in the Chesterfield County hub, use the county’s current rates when estimating a payment, and revisit the number after the budget is set. Our mortgage calculator lets you test different tax figures, and our preferred lenders page lists lenders who can walk through a full monthly estimate. To check your registration or polling place, the Virginia Department of Elections is the state’s official source.

Related reading in Chesterfield: the county’s data center decision and a new restaurant at Chesterfield Towne Center. If you are weighing a move, our buy with us page explains how we work with buyers.

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