OPINION: Measuring the potential benefits of the Henrico bond referendum

One recent evening, I was with a team of Henrico County employees presenting information about Henrico’s forthcoming “bond referendum” to a local civic group at the Varina Area Library. Marveling at its award-winning architecture – as well as the dozens of people utilizing this facility late on a Wednesday evening – it dawned on me that this library is the perfect example of how infrastructure can enhance a community, and what is possible when your local government listens to its residents.

The Varina Area Library was funded with bonds in which you, Henrico County voters, gave the county permission to issue by way of a bond referendum in 2005. A similar bond referendum was put forward for consideration in 2016, in which all five questions posed were affirmed by at least 75 percent of voters. The results of that referendum can be found across the entire county: a new Fairfield Area Library, new turf fields at every high school, two new firehouses that will soon open, new and renovated parks across the county, among many other projects that have been, or will soon be, completed.

Your overwhelming support in 2016 also provided a substantial amount of funding to address aging schools, necessary as more than half of Henrico’s 72 schools are more than 50 years old. In addition to rebuilding Tucker and Highland Springs high schools, six elementary schools, all built prior to 1966, received much-needed substantial renovations, as did Tuckahoe Middle School, built in 1958.

A prosperous school system is critical to successful communities. The Henrico Board of Supervisors understands this premise well and allocates the lion’s share of your tax dollars to your school system each year to ensure that it has the resources it needs to provide a world-class education to your children in the safest and most conducive learning environment. This is what you, Henrico’s residents and businesses, demand of your local government – and this Board of Supervisors listens.

This fall, Henrico voters will be asked to choose “yes” or “no” on yet another $340.5 million investment in school projects. Continuing upon the momentum from the last bond referendum, most of these funds would be directed to rebuilding or renovating five schools built more than 50 years ago and in dire need of attention, while also providing sufficient funds to build three new schools, including two new elementary schools to address anticipated growth.

In addition to schools, an affirmative vote by Henrico voters would address new and renovated firehouses and parks, the training and physical safety of Henrico’s first responders, as well as the first significant investment in addressing a problem in Henrico that will only worsen over time: neighborhood and community flooding. Henrico is also partnering with the Henrico Humane Society to operate a new “no-kill” animal shelter and adoption center that the public can help us name at nametheshelter.com. A list of all projects that would be funded with an affirmative vote on the bond referendum can be found at henrico.us/bonds.

As with the 2016 bond referendum, all projects being proposed in the 2022 bond referendum would be funded within existing resources. Henrico’s tax rates would not increase.

Henrico County staff have scheduled more than 140 meetings with various homeowners’ associations, civic groups, and many others to educate as many residents as possible on the four questions appearing on your ballots this fall – questions that reflect four distinct categories: schools, public safety, recreation and parks, and stormwater drainage. Henrico will also be mailing copies of a brochure further explaining the bond referendum to all Henrico residents and businesses. The brochure, including versions translated to 14 additional languages, can be found at henrico/bonds/bond-brochures-translated/. Anyone who would like to arrange a meeting with county staff, or who simply may have a question, is welcome to contact me directly at hin@henrico.us.

As with previous bond referenda, the facilities associated with this forthcoming bond referendum impact every corner of Henrico. If you are still undecided as to whether or not you plan to vote in this fall’s election, we sincerely hope that this bond referendum gives you added reason to exercise your right to do so. Absentee voting begins on Friday, September 23rd and Election Day is November 8th.

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Brandon Hinton is Henrico's deputy county manager for administration.