Virginia Beach Leaders Seek Broader Use for Proposed Sales Tax Revenue
Virginia Beach city leaders plan to ask state lawmakers to allow revenue from a proposed 1% sales tax increase, initially intended for school construction, to also be used for flood protection projects, aiming for flexibility in funding regional resilience efforts.
Norfolk Portsmouth Newport News, VA, October 19, 2026 —
Virginia Beach city leaders plan to ask state lawmakers to let the city use revenue from a proposed 1% sales tax increase for flood protection projects as well as school construction. The tax increase was initially intended to fund school construction, according to the information provided.
The request would broaden the proposed tax’s intended uses, giving the city flexibility to direct revenue toward regional resilience efforts. The proposal concerns how money raised by the increase could be spent; the available information does not say that the tax increase has been approved or taken effect.
The summary does not identify the city leaders who plan to make the request, specify when they will approach lawmakers, or describe which flood protection projects might qualify. It also does not provide an estimate of how much revenue the proposed increase could generate or explain how funds would be divided between school construction and flood protection.
State lawmakers’ response is not specified. The information provided does not say whether legislation has been drafted, whether a decision has been made, or what steps would follow if lawmakers allow the broader use. The request, as described, is aimed at giving Virginia Beach more flexibility in funding regional resilience efforts while retaining school construction as the original purpose of the proposed increase.
Story summarized from the original created by John Hood on www.wtkr.com, see more information here.
Media gallery
