School boards and local officials across the state have been racing to get a 1% sales tax increase for school construction costs on the ballot this November. More than 40 localities had approved a voter referendum for an additional 1% sales tax for school construction for the November 2026 ballot as of Aug. 7. The effort, long fought for by many Prince Edward County school supporters, has come too late for the elementary school. Rawls said the sales tax would spread the burden to people who do not live in the city, but shop there. Henry County voters passed the sales tax referendum in 2020, and the county’s sales tax increased from 5.3% to 6.3%.