What your vote does
If Yes wins: The county may borrow up to $40.3 million. It doesn’t have to.
If No wins: No bond. The county could still pay another way, or ask again.
Loudoun County ended fiscal 2025 with $194.4 million in its general fund that wasn’t set aside for anything. That’s 4.8 times the size of this bond. Each of the two years before ended with a larger balance. In January 2026 the Board assigned all of it: $100.9 million to reserves, insurance and contingency accounts, $47.7 million to capital projects and debt payments, and the rest to schools and other one-time needs.
Loudoun County Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, FY2025 · Loudoun County, Jan. 7, 2026: uses of the FY2025 fund balance
Tax track recordFrom the county’s audited reports and budgets.
- Real estate tax rate, 2016 to 2025: cut 9 times, never raised ($1.145 to $0.805 per $100). That still raised taxes: the average bill on an existing home went up in 11 of the last 12 years.
- Average tax bill on an existing home: $4,978 in 2016, $6,421 in 2026. In 11 of the last 12 years, the rate chosen was higher than the one that would have kept bills flat.
- That’s up 29% in dollars; prices rose 33.3% from 2016 to 2025.
- By Virginia’s definition, 2025 and 2026 were tax increases: the rate that would have raised the same money from existing property was $0.740; the Board set $0.805.
- About four-fifths of the county’s tax growth came from taxes other than real estate tax on homes, led by business property. The county’s report says personal property taxes on data center computer equipment are the largest part of its personal property taxes.
What will it cost?
| What | Today | If Yes wins |
|---|---|---|
| New county borrowing | None | Up to $40.3 million |
| Interest | None | Extra, paid over many years |
| Repaid from | — | County taxes, mostly property taxes |
What to watch for
What the ballot doesn’t tell you
- The money can also go to school projects not named on the ballot.
- The $40.3 million doesn’t include interest.
- Homeschool and private-school families pay the property taxes that repay it.
- The tax rate was cut, but the average tax bill on an existing home still went up in 11 of the last 12 years. 5 spending flags in all.
What do supporters and opponents say?
- Supporters say
- The put this on the ballot. County staff said some projects need more money after changes in the latest capital plan.Fact check: Accurate
- Opponents say
- No group has registered to oppose this question, and we found no published argument against it for 2026.
For each side, a claim we rated Deceptive or Overstated, if any. Otherwise its first argument. See all 1, each fact-checked ↓
Check our work
Every finding above in full, with sources. Tap a row to open it.
Our wording check: Read the fine printThe listed projects aren’t the only ones this money can pay for, and the dollar figure leaves out interest.
1The money isn’t limited to the projects listed
Why it matters: The money can also go to projects that aren’t named on the ballot.
The ballot saysThe named projects
The legal text says“and the costs of other public school facilities as requested by the Loudoun County School Board”
2The dollar figure leaves out interest
Why it matters: The figure is the amount borrowed, before interest. General obligation bonds are repaid over many years from county tax revenue.
The ballot says“maximum principal amount”
The legal text says“general obligation … bonds”
We hold every question up against the full legal text with the same test: what the text does that the question leaves out or puts differently, and what follows from it.
Five spending flags for the county asking for this moneyThe tax rate was cut, but the average tax bill on an existing home still went up in 11 of the last 12 years.
Loudoun County government, 2016–2025, per resident and after inflation, from its own audited reports.
- Lower tax rate, higher tax bills
- The real estate rate fell from $1.145 to $0.805, but the county’s average tax bill on an existing home went up in 11 of the last 12 years, from $4,978 in 2016 to $6,421 in 2026.
- Taxes rising faster than population and inflation
- Local taxes per resident up 36.3%.
- Spending rising faster than population and inflation
- Spending per resident up 25.5%.
- School spending per student rising faster than inflation
- County money for schools, per student up 40.3%.
- Debt rising faster than population and inflation
- Debt per resident up 16.7%.
Virginia law treats a reassessment that raises the total levy 1% or more as a tax increase unless the rate is lowered to offset it, and requires a separate public hearing to keep the higher rate. Va. Code § 58.1-3321 · Loudoun FY2026 Proposed Budget, Revenue and Trends, p. 162: average residential tax bill · Loudoun FY2027 Proposed Budget, Executive Summary: average homeowner tax bill and equalized rate · Loudoun County, April 2026: Board adopts FY2027 budget
Ten years of taxing and spending
Loudoun County government, 2016–2025, from its own audited reports. Per resident and in 2025 dollars, so growth that only keeps up with more people and higher prices doesn’t count. Flagged when a measure rose more than 10%. How we flag
Local taxes per resident
+36.3%Local taxes collected per resident rose 36.3% from 2016 to 2025, after inflation ($4,295 to $5,854 in 2025 dollars).
Spending per resident
+25.5%Spending per resident rose 25.5% from 2016 to 2025, after inflation ($5,680 to $7,130 in 2025 dollars).
County money for schools, per student
+40.3%County money for public schools per student rose 40.3% from 2016 to 2025, after inflation ($13,201 to $18,515 in 2025 dollars).
Debt per resident
+16.7%Debt per resident rose 16.7% from 2016 to 2025, after inflation ($4,580 to $5,344 in 2025 dollars).
Money on hand: $194,392,805 in the general fund wasn’t set aside for anything at the end of 2025.
See the numbers
- 2016
- Residents381,214Local taxes$1,227,788,375Tax rate$1.145Spending$1,623,743,424Schools$755,004,406Students76,263Debt$1,309,393,538
- 2017
- Residents392,376Local taxes$1,347,084,041Tax rate$1.125Spending$1,741,591,537Schools$833,513,916Students79,001Debt$1,422,571,860
- 2018
- Residents402,575Local taxes$1,424,889,200Tax rate$1.085Spending$1,920,749,731Schools$947,494,077Students81,235Debt$1,574,668,301
- 2019
- Residents413,000Local taxes$1,507,525,316Tax rate$1.045Spending$1,990,234,772Schools$1,001,725,169Students82,485Debt$1,779,254,147
- 2020
- Residents420,959Local taxes$1,641,171,227Tax rate$1.035Spending$2,153,909,541Schools$1,058,765,309Students84,175Debt$1,863,149,345
- 2021
- Residents428,000Local taxes$1,801,882,636Tax rate$0.980Spending$2,295,136,900Schools$1,122,391,854Students81,504Debt$1,943,023,169
- 2022
- Residents434,951Local taxes$1,965,478,381Tax rate$0.890Spending$2,421,608,296Schools$1,196,955,765Students81,642Debt$2,104,773,839
- 2023
- Residents440,983Local taxes$2,194,744,511Tax rate$0.875Spending$2,658,887,746Schools$1,279,583,356Students82,233Debt$2,246,808,610
- 2024
- Residents447,837Local taxes$2,472,406,201Tax rate$0.865Spending$2,957,025,208Schools$1,429,128,526Students82,125Debt$2,319,250,668
- 2025
- Residents455,193Local taxes$2,664,780,618Tax rate$0.805Spending$3,245,301,659Schools$1,512,602,584Students81,694Debt$2,432,635,676
| Year | Residents | Local taxes | Tax rate | Spending | Schools | Students | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 381,214 | $1,227,788,375 | $1.145 | $1,623,743,424 | $755,004,406 | 76,263 | $1,309,393,538 |
| 2017 | 392,376 | $1,347,084,041 | $1.125 | $1,741,591,537 | $833,513,916 | 79,001 | $1,422,571,860 |
| 2018 | 402,575 | $1,424,889,200 | $1.085 | $1,920,749,731 | $947,494,077 | 81,235 | $1,574,668,301 |
| 2019 | 413,000 | $1,507,525,316 | $1.045 | $1,990,234,772 | $1,001,725,169 | 82,485 | $1,779,254,147 |
| 2020 | 420,959 | $1,641,171,227 | $1.035 | $2,153,909,541 | $1,058,765,309 | 84,175 | $1,863,149,345 |
| 2021 | 428,000 | $1,801,882,636 | $0.980 | $2,295,136,900 | $1,122,391,854 | 81,504 | $1,943,023,169 |
| 2022 | 434,951 | $1,965,478,381 | $0.890 | $2,421,608,296 | $1,196,955,765 | 81,642 | $2,104,773,839 |
| 2023 | 440,983 | $2,194,744,511 | $0.875 | $2,658,887,746 | $1,279,583,356 | 82,233 | $2,246,808,610 |
| 2024 | 447,837 | $2,472,406,201 | $0.865 | $2,957,025,208 | $1,429,128,526 | 82,125 | $2,319,250,668 |
| 2025 | 455,193 | $2,664,780,618 | $0.805 | $3,245,301,659 | $1,512,602,584 | 81,694 | $2,432,635,676 |
Totals as reported, before adjusting for population or inflation. General real estate tax rate per $100 of assessed value, by tax year (Table G).
- “County money for schools” is the Education line in the county’s own accounts. The school division also gets state and federal money that isn’t counted here.
- School enrollment peaked at 84,175 in 2020 and was 81,694 in 2025.
- Sources: Loudoun County Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, FY2025 ↗ (Statistical section, Tables C, D, E, F, G, J and N); Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index (CPI-U), averaged over each July–June fiscal year.
Who pays, and who it’s forWho pays, who doesn’t, and who pays without being served.
- Who pays
The county repays the bonds, with interest, from its general revenue. In FY2025, 88% of the county’s local taxes were property taxes.
- Who doesn’t
Property that churches and religious bodies use for worship or to house their ministers isn’t taxed, so it doesn’t add to repayment.
- Pays but isn’t served
Property owners pay whether or not their children attend public schools, including families who homeschool, use a religious exemption, or pay for private or church schools.
Loudoun County financial report FY2025, Table E (taxes by source) · Va. Constitution art. X § 6 (church property)
What a Yes or No vote doesEverything each vote changes, from the legal text.
What a Yes vote means
The county asking for this money has five spending flags. See them above ↑- The county may borrow up to $40,255,000 by selling general obligation bonds. They are backed by its taxing power and repaid with interest over many years.
- The money can pay for school renovations and the VIEW Transition Academy, and also for other school projects the School Board requests.
- The county doesn’t have to borrow all of it, or any of it.
What a No vote means
- The county can’t borrow this money through general obligation bonds.
- It could still pay for these projects another way, such as from its budget or other kinds of borrowing that don’t need a vote, delay them, or ask voters again.
From the legal text and official records: Loudoun County Office of Elections, sample ballots.
What each side says1 argument for and 0 against, in their own words, each fact-checked.
In their own words, with a link to where they said it. Then we check each claim against the legal text and the official record, the same way for both sides. We don’t add reasons of our own here.
What the fact-check labels mean
- Accurate
- Matches the legal text or the official record.
- Supported by the text
- A prediction the text’s own words point to. A court would have the final say.
- Needs context
- True as far as it goes, but leaves out something that changes the picture.
- Overstated
- Has a basis in the text, but claims more than the text does.
- Deceptive
- Contradicted by the legal text or the official record, or built to steer voters away from what the question actually changes, even if some words are true.
- Opinion
- A value judgment or prediction. It can’t be proved true or false.
We rate the claim, not the person. A claim can be accurate and still be one side of the story, and an opinion isn’t wrong for being an opinion. If you think we got one wrong, tell us.
What supporters say
Vote Yes- 1.
The Board of Supervisors put this on the ballot. County staff said some projects need more money after changes in the latest capital plan.
“require additional money because of changes approved in the most recent capital improvement plan”
Loudoun County staff report, June 9, 2026 · Loudoun Now, June 12, 2026 ↗
Fact check: Accurate As reported from the county staff report. A Yes vote allows the county to borrow up to the amount on the ballot; it doesn’t require it to. Loudoun Now, June 12, 2026 ↗
What opponents say
Vote NoNo group has registered to oppose this question, and we found no published argument against it for 2026.
Checked October 30, 2026 at 8:00 PM EDT.