Dear House Finance Committee Chair Watts and Members- on behalf of the City of Falls Church Council I am submitting comments of continued SUPPORT for SB14 to provide local option for an additional local sales and use tax at a rate not to exceed one percent with the revenue used only for capital projects for the construction or renovation of schools if such levy is APPROVED in a VOTER REFERENDUM. This is critical, based on 2013 study, that showed that nearly 50% of schools are over 100 years old and in need of upgrades. Currently, the only way for localities to pay for their school divisions is by raising property taxes. We need a dedicated stream of revenue in order to be proactive in terms of school capital reinvestment. The City has building needs already defined in our existing Capital Improvement Program (CIP). The reasons the City support this legislation: • It is a local option, must be approved by referendum and locality can choose to call for the referendum; • Will begin to address the nearly $25 billion in school construction needed across the Commonwealth; • Only nine localities currently have this authority and this legislation would allow for statewide consistency and fairness; and • As a user tax the burden would be reduced for our residents. Thank you for your consideration as well as your service for our City and the citizens of the Commonwealth. Cindy Cindy L. Mester, ICMA-CM Community Relations & Legislative Affairs Director Pension Plan Administrator/ Risk Manager 300 Park Avenue, Suite 203E Falls Church, VA 22046 phone: 703-248-5042 (TTY 711) cell: 571-641-5586 fax: 703-248-5146 email: cmester@fallschurchva.gov www.fallschurchva.gov

The City of Portsmouth strongly supports this initiative. The citizens of all municipalities should have the right to decide via referendum whether or not they agree to impose a tax upon their selves to be used to improve the school facilities within their respective jurisdictions. SB 14 has a House companion bill - HB805. Attached is a support letter from Portsmouth's Superintendent of Schools. While the sentiments in this letter addressed HB1437, they are applicable as well to HB805 which incorporated HB1437. We ask that you vote favorably to pass SB14. Thank you.