By Taylor Boyd and Jessica Dillon
A dedicated one percent sales tax for school funding is the top priority of the Martinsville City Council’s 2026 legislative agenda adopted Tuesday.
City staff were also directed at the November 18 meeting to submit the agenda to Martinsville’s state delegate and the Virginia General Assembly.
Deputy City Clerk and Assistant to the City Manager Peyton Nibblett said the tax, which is also called a penny tax, is one penny per dollar on sales taxes.
It’s “subject to voter referendum, so it would go back out to the citizens of Martinsville to eventually vote on. That would be a dedicated tax exclusive to school construction and school improvement,” he said.
Nibblett said significant investments in education is the council’s second top priority.
“It’s going to be your Virginia School Construction Assistance Program, your teacher recruitment and retention, increased dedicated funding for school SROs (School Resource Officers), expansion of career and technical education for workforce-ready graduates, as well as increased funding for student learning and flexible accountability,” he said.
The third level of priorities include increasing affordable housing stock, strengthening the local gun enforcement, and investing in gun enforcement, authorizing the transfer of surplus Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) properties to localities for public benefit and economic revitalization, “as well as increased receivership authority and increased support for any legislation that kind of clarifies demolition or repair,” he added.
Nibblett said additional areas of concern are expanding state repair funding for roads, potholes, and sidewalk projects, advocating for expanding transportation funding beyond the major Virginia cities, and supporting the full allocation of state aid to localities with police departments.
“The full funding of the 599 funds go back to the departments,” he said.
During the 5 p.m. work session, Nibblett said the council also decided to remove the General Assembly approval of City Charter revisions and traffic coning and noise abatement from the agenda.
Council member Julian Mei said the one percent sales tax has been passed by other localities, including Henry County, where the one percent “is going to go towards specifically school needs, construction, and capital improvement projects.
“They need a new roof,” he asked hypothetically, and added that funds from the new tax could be used to help fund the project.
In other matters, council:
*Recognized Nov. 11 as Veterans Day in Martinsville.
*Approved a resolution recognizing Dec. 1 as World AIDS Day in Martinsville.
*Approved the Oct. 28 and Nov. 5 meeting minutes as presented.
*Tabled approval of the Nov. 12 meeting minutes.
*Approved authorizing Interim City Manager Rob Fincher to initiate requests for proposals (RFPs) for temporary structures for courts.
*Approved a request for statement of qualifications and proposals for the development of vacant properties.
*Approved the fiscal year (FY) 25 and FY26 appropriations ordinance on second reading.
*Approved a resolution allowing for the allocation of audit completion and carryover funds.
*Approved the FY25 school’s appropriations on first reading.
*Held a public hearing for the proposed Charter amendments that could be authorized for submission to the Virginia General Assembly for approval at a later date.
*Adopted a resolution by the Martinsville Redevelopment and Housing Authority approving a commitment letter extension and loan in support of the Aaron Lofts Affordable Housing project.
*Heard a financial report from Fincher.
*Heard an update on Uptown sewer line repairs from Director of Water Resources Mandy Muse.
